Greece places 20 regions on high fire alert for Monday as winds ease slightly
Greece's General Secretariat for Civil Protection will place 20 regions, including Attica and Crete, on high fire alert (category 3) for Monday, August 17, even as meteorologists forecast a slight weakening of winds and temperatures up to 36 degrees.
Fire risk forecast for Monday
Greece's General Secretariat for Civil Protection, operating under the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, will place 20 regions across the country on high fire alert for Monday, August 17, 2026. The forecast, published via the official Fire Risk Prediction Map on August 16, assigns all 20 areas to category 3, the high-risk tier on the national fire danger scale. One source described the prediction map as "yellow" across half the country, reflecting the breadth of the alert.
Regions under category 3
The high-risk zones span mainland Greece, the Peloponnese, the northeast, and numerous island groups. Attica, the region surrounding Athens, leads the list alongside Euboea, Boeotia, Phocis, Phthiotis, and Aetolia-Acarnania in the central mainland. The Peloponnese and western Greece are represented by Argolis, Corinthia, Elis, and the Ionian island of Zakynthos. In the northeast, Evros and Rhodope are also flagged at category 3. The island groups under high risk include Crete, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, and the Eastern Aegean islands. Parts of Magnesia, Achaea, Arcadia, and Laconia complete the 20 designated areas, bringing the alert to nearly every corner of the country.
Weather context
Although wind intensity is expected to weaken compared to previous days, meteorologists forecast temperatures up to 36 degrees for Monday. The combination of residual dry conditions and warm temperatures sustains the elevated fire risk despite the modest improvement in wind conditions. The slight wind weakening alone is not sufficient to reduce the danger level below category 3 for the 20 affected regions.
Authorities mobilised
The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has notified all relevant state agencies, regional authorities, and municipal governments in the affected areas to maintain increased civil protection readiness. The directive covers the full coordination chain from national services down to local municipalities, ensuring that personnel and equipment can be deployed immediately should any fire incidents occur. The instruction specifically calls for readiness to confront fire episodes directly and without delay.
Public advisories and restrictions
The General Secretariat has issued detailed recommendations urging citizens to exercise particular caution and avoid outdoor activities that could ignite fires through negligence. The listed prohibitions include burning dry grass, branches, or clearing residues; using spark-producing machinery such as circular saws and welding equipment; operating outdoor grills; bee smoking; and discarding lit cigarettes. The agency also reminds the public that field burning remains banned throughout the fire prevention period. Citizens who detect a fire are asked to contact the Fire Service immediately at the emergency number 199. Further self-protection instructions against wildfire risks are available on the General Secretariat's official website at civilprotection.gov.gr.
