Thessaloniki and northern Greece placed under very high fire risk

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has issued a fire‑risk map showing a **very high (category 4) danger** for Thessaloniki and Kilkis on Monday 13 July 2026, with a **high (category 3) risk** covering much of the rest of the country, including Attica, Central Macedonia, Chalkidiki, the islands of the North and Crete. All relevant ministries and local authorities have raised the state of alert and placed fire‑fighting services, police and the army on increased readiness.

To limit ignition sources, a series of **access bans** have been imposed for 24 hours on forest areas: the Metropolitan Unit of Thessaloniki, parts of Chalkidiki, the forests of Kassandras and Sithonia, the Edesa‑Pellas forest‑park, and several other municipal forest zones. Violations carry a €300 administrative fine. Citizens are urged to avoid outdoor activities that could start a fire – no open burning, no use of spark‑producing tools such as chainsaws or welders, no outdoor barbecues, and no smoking of beehives. In case of fire, the public should call emergency numbers 199 or 112.

A separate forecast for Tuesday 14 July warns of **very high fire danger (category 4)** for the North and South Aegean islands and Crete, with strong northerly winds expected to aid fire spread. Authorities have again placed the civil‑protection system on heightened alert and repeat the safety instructions.