Hundreds of pets and wild animals were rescued this week during a wildfire that swept across mountains and coastal areas near Athens, Greece, prompting multiple evacuations and concerns from animal welfare groups about increasingly severe summer fires across Europe.

The blaze, which at one point burned on five fronts, torched dozens of homes and more than 100 square kilometers (39 square miles) of land. In the town of Megara, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Athens, a local volunteer effort saved over 280 animals, primarily dogs, amidst scorching heat and high winds.

Rescued animals were housed in temporary shelters, including a sports stadium, where volunteers provided care and comfort. "There was so much heat and the fire was so aggressive. It was changing directions all the time," said Elena Dede, a rescue organizer in Megara. "It was really hard for every volunteer and every person involved to survive the smoke and the stress."

Richard Parr, director of the U.K.-based Center for Wild Animal Welfare, described the rescue efforts as “heroic” but emphasized that hotter summers are escalating the risks for millions of animals. He noted that such rescues are often ad hoc and disproportionately fall on individuals and small charities.

"The scale of the challenges they’re facing in terms of the number of animals affected and the areas of fire is gigantic and completely out of step," Parr stated, advocating for a dedicated European Union animal rescue service and increased funding. He also suggested that governments consider establishing "fire refuges" for animals, such as ponds and rock piles, to offer shelter.

Authorities are assisting in efforts to reunite missing animals with their owners and find temporary homes for displaced pets like Sasa, a mixed-breed puppy who did not return home during the fire. Organizers are working to match notices of missing animals with those rescued, though many remain displaced.

"I will never forget the animals that we knew were left behind," Dede added. "I’m just hoping they were saved and ran free."

The fires in Greece are the latest in a series of destructive wildfires across Europe this summer, impacting regions unaccustomed to such extreme weather conditions.