Athens shuts hills and deploys thermal-camera drones as Attica faces category 5 fire risk on 13 August 2026

Extreme fire risk across five regions

Attica was placed under an extreme fire risk alert, category 5, on Thursday, 13 August 2026, as strong winds, high temperatures and dry vegetation created conditions ripe for wildfire ignition. The General Secretariat of Civil Protection issued the alert for five regions: Attica, Central Greece (Boeotia and Evia), the Peloponnese (Argolida and Corinthia), and the North Aegean (Lesbos). Fire services and volunteer firefighter teams were placed on full standby across these areas. Attica had already been affected by large fires along the border with Boeotia, adding to the strain on resources.

Preventive closures across Athens

From midnight, the hills of Lycabettus and Finopoulos were closed to all activity, transit and parking. The Attica Region's decision also imposed a preventive ban on circulation and presence in the Pedion tou Areos, as well as in forest ecosystems, parks and Natura-protected areas. The Attiko Alsos was also closed. The Municipality of Athens placed its Municipal Police, Cleaning Services and Greenery Services on 24-hour standby. A Contractor Registry was activated to reinforce fire protection at the municipality's camps in Agios Andreas, Attica, where two water-cannon vehicles and two 4x4 vehicles were deployed.

Drone surveillance with thermal cameras

Drones equipped with thermal cameras were deployed to monitor large green spaces across central Athens, including Lycabettus, Strefi, Filopappou, Tourkovounia and Ilisia. The thermal cameras detect temperature variations, helping identify potential fire hotspots or other risk indicators early. The municipality urged citizens to avoid any outdoor work that could produce sparks or open flames, including welding, metal cutting and blowtorch use. Citizens were asked to contact the emergency line 1595 immediately upon detecting any danger.

Fire brigade warns of difficult days ahead

Fire brigade deputy spokesperson Giannis Artopoios described the day as one of the most challenging for Civil Protection in terms of weather conditions.

Today is one of the most difficult days for Civil Protection in terms of weather conditions. We do not light fires for any reason.

Speaking on ERT, Artopoios said the next three days would be a significant challenge and asked citizens to refrain from outdoor activities that could cause sparks or fire, with a specific appeal to beekeepers to avoid operations that might ignite flames.

The next three days will be a big challenge for Civil Protection. We ask for the cooperation of our fellow citizens today, this difficult day, and for the next 48 hours that follow. Today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we do not light fires outdoors for any reason.

Weather forecast and wind outlook

The weather forecast for Thursday was described as dramatic, with intense dryness in the terrain and winds blowing locally up to 8 Beaufort, creating suitable conditions for fire outbreak. Wind gusts were expected to reach 110 km/h. On Friday and Saturday, winds were forecast to strengthen further to 9 Beaufort locally, while temperatures were set to drop slightly. By Sunday, winds were projected to decrease to 7 Beaufort, with temperatures rising in the northeast.