Wildfires have been occurring around Greece this summer, including one which broke out in northern Athens over the weekend, so some people might be wondering if it is safe to travel to the country.
Beginning on Sunday (August 11) the blaze began with authorities having to evacuate towns, villages and hospitals on the outskirts of Athens.
By Monday (August 12), blazes were confirmed in 40 different locations, with some areas seeing flames as high as 25m (82ft).
Greece's chief fire brigade spokesman Vasilis Vathrakogiannis spoke to BBC News and confirmed that there are no longer any active wildfires in the wider Athens area, but officials remain on high alert.
What @BBCNews @cskarelli & I saw earlier today in one of the hardest hit suburbs of Athens as #Greece was forced to once again respond to a summer of #wildfires. Now, fire service has said there are no longer active fires in wider Athens area but on high alert for flare-ups. pic.twitter.com/Pb2h8UPtL6
— Azadeh Moshiri (@Azadeh_Moshiri) August 13, 2024
Milder winds and extensive efforts by the emergency services have helped bring the blazes under control.
However, there is still a risk of flare-ups because of wind gusts and temperatures soaring well above 30C in the daytime.
One woman has died and dozens have been injured in the last few days due to the wildfires.
Is it safe to travel to Greece right now?
On the Government travel advice page for Greece, it has not recommended people to not travel to Greece.
Its latest update at the time of writing was on August 14 stating: "Information on what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards (‘Safety and security’ page).”
On the safety and security page, it mentions there is a "high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October" in the country.
Before and after of the gym @cskarelli and I are reporting from in the Athens suburb Neo Penteli. It’s one of the worst hit suburbs from the #wildfires in #Greece. pic.twitter.com/ESEeZP92G1
— Azadeh Moshiri (@Azadeh_Moshiri) August 14, 2024
It recommends registering for alerts from the Greek government’s Emergency Communication Service (in Greek). In terms of setting it up, it adds:
- for iPhones go to Settings > Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option at the bottom
- for Android 11 and higher go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced Settings > Wireless Emergency Alerts
- for Samsung devices go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Notifications > Emergency Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option
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- 10 ways you can make your travel insurance void without realising
In terms of further advice, it says:
- follow @112Greece for official updates
- follow the guidance of the emergency services
- call the Greek emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger
- contact your airline or travel operator who can assist you with return travel to the UK
It adds: "Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly."
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