Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias chaired a high-level coordination meeting on Thursday, as Attica faces the highest level of fire threat (red alert, scale 5) on Friday. Several other regions in Greece remain on alert level 4 (orange).
Temperatures in Greece are expected to soar to 40°C on Friday, accompanied by gale-force winds in the Aegean, exacerbating the fire risk.
"This is the first time we have a threat level 5, or red alert, in Attica so early in June, and threat level 4 in four other regions of Greece," Kikilias stated. "The entire state mechanism will be on standby." He emphasised the critical need for vigilance, warning that negligence could lead to "tragic results."
The meeting was attended by officials from various ministries, regional governors of the affected areas, and representatives from the Fire Brigade, Greek police, military, emergency ambulance services (EKAV), and related agencies.
Besides Attica, which is under level 5 alert except for Kythira island, the regions at high fire risk include Kythira, Peloponnese, Ilia, Achaia, Fokida, Viotia, Fthiotida, and the islands of Evia (including Skyros), Lesvos, and Chios.
The Fire Brigade has announced that all personnel will remain on high alert to handle increased operational demands, from managing ongoing fires to protecting threatened regions. Security forces will continue air patrols, and the Civil Protection service will enforce measures to manage forest fires, including the preventative shutdown of traffic and access to national forests and vulnerable areas in the regions under level 4 and 5 alerts.
Read more: Greece wildfires
(Source: Amna)