Wildfires: Extreme risk in many parts of the country – Wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h

An extreme wildfire risk – State of Alert (risk category 5) is forecast today, Saturday (29/08), for Crete, Rhodes and Karpathos, according to the Fire Risk Forecast Map issued by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. At the same time, a very high wildfire risk is forecast tomorrow in many parts of mainland and island Greece.

More specifically, an extreme wildfire risk – State of Alert (risk category 5) is forecast tomorrow for the following areas:

Region of Crete
Region of the South Aegean (Rhodes Regional Unit, Karpathos Regional Unit)

A very high wildfire risk (risk category 4) is forecast tomorrow for the following areas:

• Region of Attica (including the island of Kythira)
• Region of Central Greece (Euboea Regional Unit)
• Region of the North Aegean (Lesvos Regional Unit, Chios Regional Unit, Samos Regional Unit, Ikaria Regional Unit)
• Region of the South Aegean (Cyclades Regional Units, Kalymnos Regional Unit, Kos Regional Unit)
• Region of the Peloponnese (Laconia Regional Unit)

Meteo: Wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h

The meltemi winds are strengthening across the Aegean and the eastern mainland, with the most intense conditions expected mainly on Saturday, 29/08, reaching 7 Beaufort (sustained winds) in the Aegean and locally 8 Beaufort in the southeastern Aegean.

According to the high-resolution forecasting models of the National Observatory of Athens / meteo.gr, wind gusts on Saturday, August 29, are expected in some areas to exceed 100 km/h in Crete, 110 to 120 km/h in eastern Crete, 90 km/h in the southeastern Aegean and 70 km/h in the Aegean from Lesvos southwards, as well as in Euboea, eastern Central Greece (including Attica) and the Peloponnese.

Warning from Civil Protection

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has informed the competent state agencies involved, as well as the regional and municipal authorities in the above areas, so that they remain on heightened civil protection alert and are able to respond immediately to any wildfire incidents.

In addition, as announced by the Fire Service, personnel at Fire Services whose areas of responsibility are expected to face an extreme wildfire risk (risk category 5) remain on full alert, while personnel at Fire Services in areas expected to face a very high wildfire risk (risk category 4) have been placed on partial alert.

At the same time, aerial surveillance patrols are continuing, along with patrols by fire service, police and military forces.

Meanwhile, the Civil Protection Action Plan for addressing risks from forest fires is being implemented in the above areas. Among other measures, it provides for the preventive ban on vehicle traffic and the presence of visitors in national parks, forests and other “vulnerable” areas.

Finally, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection advises citizens to exercise particular caution and avoid outdoor activities that could accidentally cause a fire, such as burning dry grass and branches or cleaning waste, using machinery that can generate sparks such as circular saws and welding equipment, using outdoor barbecues, smoking bees and discarding lit cigarettes, among other activities. It is also recalled that burning fields is prohibited throughout the fire prevention season.

Anyone who notices a fire is asked to immediately notify the Fire Service by calling 199.

For further information and self-protection guidance regarding the risks posed by forest fires, citizens can visit the website of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection at civilprotection.gov.gr.