Extreme fire risk in Attica and Evia amid gale-force winds

An extreme fire risk has been declared for Attica and Evia in Greece, with wind gusts reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour, a speed comparable to hurricanes. These conditions significantly exacerbate fire risks and create challenges for aerial firefighting operations due to strong turbulence.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has placed Attica and Evia on high alert (risk category 5) for Saturday, August 1st. Eight other regions and areas remain at very high risk (category 4). In the Kavo Doro area and surrounding sea straits, north winds are reaching force 8, with gusts up to force 9.

Very high fire risk persists across most of Central Greece, the Peloponnese, parts of the Aegean, western Crete, and Evros. The gradual weakening of the winds is expected to begin Saturday afternoon, with better conditions anticipated on Sunday and further improvement on Monday.

However, the next 24 hours remain particularly dangerous. The gale-force winds and dry vegetation maintain a very high risk of fire ignition and rapid spread. The Hellenic National Meteorological Service forecasts generally clear skies, with temporary local clouds in Evia and Crete in the morning, and in the mountains of Epirus and western Macedonia in the afternoon. Temperatures will see no significant change.