Greek state authorities placed Attica on Red Code alert ahead of Monday, August 9, due to extreme wildfire risks caused by scorching heat and strong winds. Low humidity and temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in some areas have created dangerous conditions for fire outbreaks.
Attica is on maximum alert while five other regions, including the Cyclades, face heightened danger. State services have reinforced personnel, equipment, ground forces, and aerial units to ensure immediate intervention if fires erupt.
Thermal surveillance and expert warnings
Thermal cameras monitoring Attica recorded exceptionally high surface temperatures across the region. Civil Protection operates a specially equipped drone daily from Lycabettus, using thermal imaging to track peak heat levels in the basin.
Asphalt temperatures in the area exceeded 80 degrees Celsius as winds reached up to 8 Beaufort. Athens Municipal Police employee Giorgos Stavrianos said teams operate nearly 24 hours a day from Lycabettus to monitor high temperatures and protect municipal forests and groves.
Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas warned of combined risk factors. Tournas said strong winds, temperatures hitting 40 degrees in the west and 38 to 39 degrees in the east, and dense flammable material make new fire outbreaks dangerous.
Natural Disasters Professor Costas Synolakis called for focus on prevention, describing the red code alert as war conditions. Synolakis said authorities are in a war against wildfires to stop blazes before they start.
Mount Hymettus restrictions and city patrols
Authorities activated strict safety measures on Mount Hymettus due to the elevated risk index. Vehicle access to the mountain is banned whenever the danger index reaches level 4 or 5.
As reported by ERT in Vyronas, a Hellenic Police patrol car blocked the access road leading to Mount Hymettus while emergency crews remain on high alert. Finopoulou Hill has also been closed to all public activity until further notice.
The Municipality of Athens mobilized all municipal services and deployed standby teams from its Sanitation and Greenery Services. Workers conduct ground patrols and use thermal camera drones to detect temperature changes.
Surveillance efforts focus heavily on major green spaces in central Athens, with Lycabettus serving as a central watch post. The Municipal Police Operations Center is running 24 hours a day to relay any suspicious activity to the Fire Service instantly.
Wildfire threat in Peloponnese and Crete
High alert extends to the Peloponnese, where the fire risk index reached level 4, prompting emergency services to prepare and urging residents to remain vigilant. Natural Disaster Management Professor Efthymios Lekkas described the situation as a difficult three-day period covering Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
Services in Crete are similarly on high alert as its risk index rose to level 4. Fire Colonel Stavros Kalogiannakis warned that the high risk index will continue tomorrow and remain elevated throughout the week until the Feast of the Dormition.
