Greek authorities have placed Attica on Red Code alert for Monday, Aug. 9, as extreme heat, gale-force winds, and drought create severe wildfire conditions. High risk warnings are also in place across five other regions, including the Cyclades, Peloponnese, and Crete, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.
State emergency services have deployed personnel, ground equipment, and aerial vehicles to respond immediately to potential fire fronts. In Attica, asphalt temperatures surpassed 80 degrees Celsius while winds reached 8 Beaufort. Civil Protection drones equipped with thermal cameras are conducting daily flights over the Athens basin from Mount Lycabettus to track temperature spikes.
Athens Municipal Police officer Giorgos Stavrianos stated that teams operate nearly 24 hours a day from Mount Lycabettus to monitor municipal groves and forests. Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas reported that temperatures would reach 40 degrees in the west and 38 to 39 degrees in the east. Tournas stressed that dry vegetation and strong winds mean no new fire incidents can be permitted.
Mountain access bans and city patrols
Natural Disasters Professor Kostas Synolakis described the situation as war conditions, stating that the Red Code alert requires a full effort to prevent fires from starting. Under high risk rules, authorities banned vehicle access on Mount Hymettus after risk index levels reached 4 and 5. In Vyronas, a Hellenic Police patrol car blocked the road leading up the mountain.
Athens authorities also closed Finopoulos Hill to all activity until further notice. The Athens Municipality placed sanitation and greenery workers on standby teams, deployed thermal camera drones, and expanded patrols across central green spaces. The Municipal Police Operations Center is operating around the clock to notify the Fire Service immediately if suspicious activity is detected.
Wildfire warnings in Peloponnese and Crete
The Peloponnese and Crete were both assigned a risk index of 4, placing local services on absolute alert. Natural Disaster Management Professor Efthymios Lekkas noted that the country faces a difficult three-day period starting Sunday and extending through Monday and Tuesday. Fire Chief Stavros Kalogiannakis stated that elevated risk levels will persist throughout the week up to the Feast of the Assumption.
