A dangerous combination of high temperatures and strong winds has placed six regions across Greece, including the wider Athens area of Attica, on high alert for wildfires on Thursday, forecasters said.
While the weather will be mostly sunny, strong northerly winds, known as "meltemia," are expected to reach up to 6 Beaufort in the Aegean Sea.
Temperatures are forecast to climb as high as 37 degrees Celsius (99 F) in some mainland areas.
The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has issued a "very high fire risk" (category 4) alert for Attica, Central Greece (including Evia), Crete, and parts of the southern Aegean.
Authorities are urging the public to be extremely vigilant and to avoid any activity that could spark a fire, such as burning vegetation or using outdoor barbecues.
The hot, dry, and windy conditions are expected to persist into the weekend.