The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection (civilprotection.gov.gr) predicts that there will be an extreme risk of fire (risk category 5) on Monday in 5 regions of the country, while a very high risk of fire (risk category 4) will be in 8 regions.
In particular, the risk of fire is extremely high today in the following regions:
Attica;
Central Greece (Boeotia, Evia);
Peloponnese (Argolida, Corinthia, Messinia);
Western Greece (Ilia);
South Aegean region (Rhodes).
The risk of fire (risk category 4) exists in the following areas:
North Aegean Sea (Chios, Samos Ikaria);
South Aegean Sea (Karpathos, Kalymnos, Kos);
Thessaly (Larissa, Magnesia);
Crete;
Peloponnese (Arcadia, Laconia);
Ionian Islands (Kefalonia, Zakynthos);
Western Greece (Aetoloakarnania, Achaia);
Central Greece (Fthiotis, Phocis).
On the Greek island of Rhodes, the work of many hotels has been suspended due to forest fires. About 19 thousand tourists were transported to safer places, 14 evacuation flights are planned.
Forests in Greece have been burning for a week. On Sunday, the number of fires immediately increased by 64, reaching 82. The spread of the fire is facilitated by heat and strong winds. In 180 settlements in Greece, the air temperature exceeded 40°C on Sunday. This weather will last in Greece at least until Wednesday. The authorities warn of the possibility of further evacuations.
Greece, like a number of other European countries, experienced a prolonged heat wave at the beginning of the month, which coincided with one of the most active periods for the tourism industry.
