Greece’s General Secretariat for Civil Protection issued on Thursday a warning for high risk of fire (Risk Category 3) for Friday, June 7 in Attica, Southern Evia, the Cyclades, and Skyros due to high temperatures and strong winds.
The announcement followed dozens of fires which broke out this week in Lefkochori, Aliartos in Central Greece, Crete, Afidnes East Attica, Pendeli, and Amorgos, the latest being on the island of Evia, again.
Earlier on Thursday, the Civil Protection Ministry sent a 112 emergency warning to locals in the settlements of Samari and Almyropotamos on Evia and earlier this week in Lepoura.
In 2021, dozens of villages were evacuated when fires burning for days devastated most of northern Evia, Greece’s second largest island.
A fire was also reported in the northwest Athens suburb of Varybombi on Wednesday, which also burned for days in 2021.
This high risk of fire is expected to continue in the coming days with meteorologists forecasting temperatures ranging between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for most of Greece and 31 to 33 degrees Celsius in northern parts of the country as well as strong northerly winds.
A new heat wave is expected to hit Greece on Sunday.
The Civil Protection Ministry is advising citizens to exercise caution.
