Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias on Friday appealed to citizens to be alert and cooperate fully with the authorities due to the very high danger of forest fires throughout the country, in statements before the start of a coordination meeting with all the agencies involved.
“From today, late at night and throughout Saturday, up until Sunday afternoon, it appears that half the country is in the orange zone as regards the danger of causing forest fires due to the gale-force winds of about 7-8, or even in places 9 Beaufort. In other words, orange areas will be Mytilene, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, all the Cyclades islands, all of Evia, Viotia up to Livadia, Attica, the prefecture of Corinth, Arcadia, Argolida, Lakonia, Kythera and all of Crete,” the minister said.
He urged people to “fully cooperate with the state machinery, which will be on alert and fully ready. And to help so that we can get through this difficulty as regards the weather conditions and causing fires.”
Very high category 4 fire danger forecast on Saturday
According to the Fire Danger Forecast Map issued for Saturday by the General Secretariat of the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry, a very high risk of fire (category 4) is predicted for the following areas:
– Region of Attica (including the island of Kythira)
– Peloponnese Region (Korinthos, Argolis, Arcadia, Laconia)
– Region of Crete
– North Aegean Region (Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria)
– South Aegean Region (Cyclades)
– Region of Central Greece (Boeotia, Fokis, Fthiotida, Evia)
The General Secretariat of Civil Protection (civilprotection.gov.gr) of the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry has informed the competent state agencies as well as the regions and municipalities of the above areas to be on alert in order to face any incidents of fire immediately.