Greece remained on high alert for wildfires Saturday as authorities warned of very high fire danger across large parts of the country during the August 15 Dormition holiday, one of Greece’s busiest travel periods.
The Civil Protection General Secretariat placed Attica, parts of the Peloponnese, Central Greece, the Aegean islands, Crete, Halkidiki, Mount Athos and parts of northern Greece under heightened readiness because of the elevated fire risk.
Strong northerly winds, reaching up to 9 on the Beaufort scale in parts of the Aegean, were expected to continue through the weekend. Emergency services, regional authorities and municipalities were on standby to respond to any fires.
Firefighters were conducting joint ground patrols and aerial surveillance using drones and aircraft. Authorities were also considering preventive measures, including restrictions on vehicle access to forests, national parks and other fire-prone areas.
Officials urged residents and visitors to avoid activities that could accidentally start fires, including burning dry vegetation, using spark-producing tools, grilling outdoors and discarding lit cigarettes.
