High fire risk in 28 regions

High fire risk for Friday August 7 was recorded by the Fire Risk Forecast Map of the General Secretariat of Civil Protection, which placed a total of 28 regions of the country at risk category 3. The state mechanism was placed in a state of high readiness. This is a forecast, not a recording of incidents: the map depicts how favorable conditions are for a fire source, if it occurs, to spread rapidly, and not where fires will occur within the day.

According to the map, high risk was recorded in much of Peloponnese, Central Greece and Evia, as well as sections of Magnesia, Achaia and Arcadia. Also in the same category were Attica, Crete and Aegean islands, while increased vigilance was maintained in Lefkada, Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Ithaca. The extent of regions shows that the risk affected both mainland and island Greece, not an isolated region.

The Civil Protection of Thessaly Region announced full twenty-four-hour readiness for Friday, giving to the public the emergency phones 2413511302 and 2413511309. Citizens are called to immediately inform the Fire Service at 199 or the European emergency number 112 upon detecting smoke or fire. Activation of regional services in continuous shift is a typical response when the index rises, so that personnel and resources are already in position before a potential call.

The map is issued each afternoon and applies for the next day, and grades risk on five levels; category 3 is the third of these and corresponds to high risk. The assessment is based on meteorological parameters and state of vegetation. It is not, therefore, a forecast of fires, but a tool for distribution of available forces: as the category rises, resources and personnel shift toward regions showing the greatest risk.

The instructions accompanying high risk are practical and aimed at preventable causes. Avoidance of any work producing sparks is advised, while use of grills in forest areas is prohibited. Residents are also called to remove flammable materials from surrounding areas of their homes. These recommendations gain particular weight on high-risk days, since weather conditions are not manageable, while human behavior is.

The two sources reproducing the map show no divergence regarding risk category or regions. Not disclosed, however, is how many aerial and ground resources were pre-positioned per region, nor whether local traffic bans were imposed in forests and sensitive areas—a measure usually announced separately by local authorities. The broader framework is completed by a heat wave with temperatures up to 40°C, which exacerbates conditions.

A new map is issued each afternoon for the next day, so the picture may change significantly within hours and readiness of regional services is adjusted accordingly. Meanwhile, prosecuting authorities continue investigations into causes of fire outbreak, following 33 arrests for arson in five days. Citizens remain the first early warning system, since the timing of the initial call significantly determines the development of each fire source.