A large wildfire has forced more than 600 asylum seekers to evacuate from a migrant camp on the Greek island of Chios, according to the Greek migration ministry. The fire broke out on Sunday, June 22, near the Closed Controlled Access Center (CCAC), also known as the Vial Reception and Identification Centre.
A total of 629 asylum seekers were safely moved to a local sports hall, where they will stay for now. At the same time, at least 16 villages on the island were also evacuated due to heavy smoke and the fast spread of the fire.
Firefighters worked hard to control the blaze. Around 100 firefighters, 30 fire trucks, 10 helicopters, and 4 planes were used in the operation. Fire crews from Athens joined local teams later in the day as strong winds continued to spread the flames.
Why were asylum seekers evacuated from the Chios camp?
The wildfire threatened the camp and nearby areas. Officials feared for the safety of the migrants and local residents. The fire service and police are investigating and suspect arson, as the flames reportedly started in three different locations on the island within minutes.
Chios is one of the key entry points for migrants coming from Turkey to Greece. So far this year, out of 14,600 sea arrivals to Greece, over 1,280 landed on Chios, based on UNHCR data from June 15. The island lies just a few kilometers from the Turkish coast and hosts a population of about 50,000 people.
While migrant arrivals to Chios and other Aegean islands like Lesbos and Samos have decreased in recent years, the southern island of Crete has seen a sharp increase. More than 5,700 sea arrivals have been recorded on Crete in 2025—more than all Aegean islands combined.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but police and fire experts believe it may have been deliberately set. Over the same weekend, around 50 wildfires were reported across Greece. The country’s weather service warned that wildfire risks remain very high.
The smoke from the fire was so thick that it could even be seen from satellites, according to weather experts. Greece often faces wildfires in the summer due to dry weather, strong winds, and the rising impact of climate change, scientists explain.