Three separate blazes combine into mega-fire as 190 firefighters battle to save ancient mastic groves that have flourished for thousands of years
A catastrophic wildfire is threatening to devastate the Greek island of Chios and destroy its precious “white gold” — the unique mastic resin that has been the island’s lifeblood for millennia.
What began as three separate fires near the island’s main town has exploded into one massive inferno after being fanned by ferocious winds, forcing terrified villagers to flee their homes as walls of flame advanced on multiple fronts.
The fire department said 190 firefighters were battling the blaze Monday morning, backed up by 35 vehicles, five helicopters and two water-dropping planes — but they face being overwhelmed as the fire races towards both residential areas and the island’s irreplaceable mastic groves.
‘Tears of Chios’ under threat
The blaze poses a catastrophic threat to the island’s world-famous mastic production — a natural resin known as the “tears of Chios” that can only be harvested from trees growing in the southern part of this Aegean island.
The aromatic resin, which has been prized since ancient times for its medicinal and culinary properties, represents the economic backbone for thousands of families on the island and is protected by the European Union as a product of unique origin.
Areas of woodland have already been consumed by the flames, along with farmland, threatening the livelihoods of many of the island’s 51,000 residents who depend on the annual mastic harvest.
Mass evacuations as flames spread
Authorities have sent emergency text messages to 16 villages, settlements and neighbourhoods urging immediate evacuation as the fire continues its relentless advance on multiple fronts.
Local residents watched in horror as walls of flame approached their homes, with some desperately trying to beat back the inferno with branches as professional firefighters struggled to contain the blaze.
The situation remains critical as firefighting forces are still dealing with many active fronts, several of which being near hamlets,” Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis told a news conference.
Island overwhelmed
All 100 of the island’s firefighters were initially thrown into action but quickly faced being overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.
Greek mainland authorities rushed another 90 firefighters to the island by ship on Sunday, with a further 171 being sent Monday as the situation deteriorated.
The reinforcements joined the desperate battle as 11 aircraft dropped water on the fires until nightfall, but strong winds have severely hampered firefighting efforts.
Power cuts add to misery
Many residents in areas not directly threatened by flames have suffered power cuts, disrupting water supplies and hampering firefighting efforts in what locals describe as a living nightmare.
The power outages have left thousands without electricity as temperatures soar, adding to the misery of residents who can only watch helplessly as their island paradise burns.
Ancient tradition at risk
The potential loss of mastic trees would be devastating for Chios, where the resin has been harvested using unchanged techniques since ancient times.
The mastic groves, some of which have been producing the precious resin for centuries, cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world — despite numerous attempts, the trees only “weep” their valuable tears on Chios.
The resin is used in everything from traditional Greek liqueurs and sweets to high-end cosmetics and medicines, with the island’s 24 mastic villages forming a UNESCO-protected cultural heritage.
Climate change strikes again
The fire department has sent a specialist arson investigation team to look into the causes of the three initial blazes that sparked the catastrophe.
But authorities say climate change has been fuelling bigger and more frequent blazes across Greece, which sits at Europe’s hot southern tip and has suffered devastating wildfires in recent years.
The country has spent hundreds of millions of euros updating firefighting equipment and this year deployed a record 18,000 firefighters in anticipation of another challenging fire season.
Echoes of past tragedies
The terrifying scenes on Chios have revived memories of Greece’s deadliest wildfire disaster — the 2018 Mati fire that killed more than 100 people, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.
As night fell Monday, the battle to save Chios continued, with exhausted firefighters knowing that the island’s unique natural heritage — and the livelihoods of thousands — hang in the balance.
The next 24 hours will be critical in determining whether the “tears of Chios” will continue to flow for future generations, or whether this ancient tradition will become another victim of our changing climate.
