Greece's civil protection authorities have issued a high wildfire risk warning for Monday, putting emergency services on elevated alert across vast stretches of the country as the summer fire season tightens its grip.
The General Secretariat for Civil Protection placed swathes of the map at Category 4 — the second-highest threat level — spanning the greater Athens region of Attica, Central Greece, and the Peloponnese, including Corinthia, Argolis, Achaea and Elis.
Major northern areas are also under threat, among them Thessaloniki, Chalkidiki, Mount Athos and Evros, while the warning stretches across the Ionian and Aegean to islands including Evia, Lesbos, Chios, Lemnos and the Sporades.
State responders, regional authorities and local municipalities have been ordered to maintain heightened readiness to move fast on any outbreak.
Officials are urging extreme caution outdoors, warning against any activity that could spark a blaze.
Banned actions include burning dry grass or farm debris, operating spark-generating machinery, lighting barbecues, smoking out beehives and discarding lit cigarettes. The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection reiterated that burning agricultural fields remains strictly forbidden for the duration of the fire season.