Natural Disaster Alert– U.S. Mission Greece, August 6, 2021
Location: Greece
Event: Increased Wildfire Danger in Greece
The Greek authorities report that there is currently extreme danger for wildfires throughout Greece. U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution in the affected areas, including in Evia, the area of Ancient Olympia in Ilia, Eastern Mani, Fthiotida, and around Kapandriti and Polydendri in the northern suburbs of Athens. Civil Protection authorities are coordinating evacuations from the affected areas. Wildfires are creating additional disruptions in the wider areas, such as power and/or water outages, poor air quality, and road closures.
With most of Greece under extreme or high risk for fire, be aware that new fires may break out anywhere in the country with little to no warning. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has announced an Extreme Fire Risk (Category 5 alarm) for Attica, the Peloponnese region, Western Greece (Achaia, Ilia), Central Greece (Evia, Fthiotida, Boeotia, Fokida), Thessaly (Magnesia), and Crete (Chania, Rethymno), and Very High Risk (Category 4) for many additional areas in Greece on August 6, 2021 according to the Daily Fire Risk Map. This high risk of fire is expected to continue in the coming days.
U.S. citizens living in or traveling near any of the affected areas should follow instructions from local authorities and closely monitor the local media and emergency alerts. Avoid any actions that may cause a fire. Avoid unnecessary travel. Be aware that Greek authorities have prohibited access to forests and forested areas during this time of extreme fire danger. The following resources contain official information about the wildfires:
- Civil Protection Announcements
- Civil Protection Forest Fire Self-Protection Guidelines
- Daily Fire Prediction Map
- Hellenic Fire Service
- 112 Greece Alerts on Twitter
Actions to Take:
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- Follow all Greek government announcements and instructions.
- Register with Greece’s Emergency Communications Service for warning alerts by SMS, e-mail, or voicemail if you don’t have a smart phone.
- To report a fire, call the Fire Service call center at 199.
- For emergency assistance, call 112 for the Emergency Communications Service.
- Carry identity and travel documents with you at all times.
- U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
Assistance:
