Greece is one of the favorite destinations for summer vacations due to its natural beauty, warm sea, and Mediterranean ambiance. However, during the summer months, especially from May to October, this country faces an increased risk of wildfires.

During the season, Greece is visited by over 45 million tourists, and it is extremely important for everyone to be aware of how to behave responsibly and not provoke a fire with risky actions. Just one wrong move is enough!

For tourists planning a trip to Greece, it is important to be aware of these risks, know the rules of behavior, and understand how they can contribute to fire prevention.

Why are wildfires frequent in Greece and also in Serbia?

The geographical position of Greece is such that the climate is warm and dry, which used to be a blessing Mediterranean climate. Unfortunately, with the global rise in temperatures and the increasingly frequent occurrences of extremely strong winds, and above all the increase in the number of tourists visiting, the number of fires across Greece has also increased.

Human factor:

Most fires are caused by human carelessness or inadvertently – discarded cigarette butts, lighting fires in prohibited areas, parking on grass, or technical malfunctions.

Installations:

Damage to electrical installations – sparks from distribution boards, transformer stations, or cables often cause fires that spread rapidly.

Cars on dry grass:

A car parked on dry grass or low vegetation can easily start a fire.

Greek authorities highlight this as one of the main fire prevention measures.

Warm and dry climate:

In summer, temperatures often exceed 35°C and even reach 40°C, dry vegetation and strong summer droughts create conditions for easy fire spread.

Natural landscape:

Pine forests and dense vegetation are present on many islands and in continental parts, which represent potential “fuel material.”

All of this makes Greece an irresistible destination for tourists, so let’s consider which rules we need to adopt to preserve it together.

What are the rules and fire prevention measures for tourists?

1. Lighting fires in nature is strictly prohibited

From May to October, lighting fires in nature is strictly prohibited, including barbecues and campfires. Not even on the beach! It is enough for the slightest spark from a barbecue fire to be carried by the wind to dry leaves on the edge of the beach and an uncontrolled chain reaction or fire occurs. Exceptions exist only in designated areas, but our recommendation is to avoid even that.

2. NEVER throw cigarette butts into nature

Even the smallest spark can start a fire. Dispose of cigarette butts only in appropriate containers.
NEVER throw an old lighter into nature as it can explode and cause a spark that can start a wildfire.

3. Never park your car on dry grass\, pine needles\, or low vegetation

Park only on concrete, asphalt, gravel, or clearly cleared ground. Greek authorities highlight this as one of the main fire prevention measures.
The vehicle’s exhaust system is extremely hot. When a car runs for a while, the exhaust pipe (muffler) and the parts around it (catalyst, rear silencer) can reach a temperature of over 500°C.
If the vehicle is parked directly on dry grass, leaves, or pine needles, that temperature is enough to ignite flammable material.
Rims and brakes also emit heat. While driving (especially downhill or in traffic), brakes and rims heat up significantly. If a car is parked for a long time on uncovered, dry ground, it can ignite the low vegetation under the vehicle.

3. Avoid releasing flying lanterns and fireworks

These activities are prohibited as they easily cause fires, especially in dry conditions.

4. Strictly throw garbage in the trash - even the most innocuous items

Other items can also cause wildfires: a mirror, a glass bottle, a jar, glass of any kind… All of this can produce a spark in combination with the hot sun. Greek authorities state that garbage should not be thrown into containers in nature or along roads during the summer, as it also carries a risk - whether an animal overturns a container and its contents are exposed to the sun or some flammable spark (lighter, deodorant, etc.) is found there and a fire starts due to the hot sun.

5. Follow local weather conditions and warnings

Greek authorities regularly issue warnings about the degree of fire risk. When the fire risk is 3 categories (marked in orange), orders are issued to close roads to forested areas. This often annoys tourists who planned to visit a beach accessible through a forest road, but understand that it is for the good of all. So, follow the information we publish on social networks or directly on the website of the Civil Protection of Greece or local sources.

If you notice a fire anywhere (forest, beach, house) - immediately call emergency services

If you notice any smoke or fire, report it immediately. It can be the emergency intervention number (199 or 112) or the owner of the accommodation you are staying in, or someone in the nearest house. It is important that information about the fire reaches the authorities as soon as possible so they can send a team to the scene and react immediately.
Report, you may save thousands of trees and animals living in the forest.

Recommendations taken from the website of the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece, section on forest fire protection:
If you notice a fire - immediately call the fire department (199 or 112) and explain:

  • the exact location
  • the point and direction of fire spread
  • the type of vegetation burning

The emergency number in Greece is 112 or 199.

Also, follow the instructions of local authorities and firefighters.

What to do in case of a fire?

If fires occur in your region or surroundings, be prepared, but do not panic - life during the fire season often goes on as usual, with a few exceptions. Greece devotes a lot of attention and resources to protect everyone, fully aware that there are a large number of tourists in the country.
In case of need - you will be informed for sure.

What tourists should do:

Check the air quality: Forest fires can cause dangerous air, so monitor the direction in which the smoke is moving. You can also check the Air Quality Index - Air Quality Index
It is easy to monitor air quality by colors on the map:

  • green - clean air,
  • orange - low pollution but unsuitable for sensitive individuals;
  • red - unhealthy air;
  • purple - very unhealthy air and
  • purple color - dangerous pollution.

Sensitive individuals should stay away from smoke, perhaps choose a place or beach that is on the opposite side of the wind direction and avoid inhaling smoke. Face masks are an essential part of first aid that every car should have and should be used in extreme situations.

Prepare an emergency kit: If a fire is nearby, for just in case, prepare basic items to have at hand: a flashlight, first aid kit, medications, protective masks, food, and water. Bring extra bottles of water in case you stay on the road longer, to be able to rinse your face and eyes or just wash your hands. Prepare a portable charger for electronic devices. If you are traveling by your own vehicle, keep the tank full or the battery charged.

Have an evacuation plan: most people no longer own or buy paper maps, so download offline maps on your phone - because some evacuation routes may go beyond the mobile network zone. The more prepared you are, the less uncertainty and panic you will feel in the end.

Be flexible with plans: Forest fires can disrupt one region, while the neighboring one can remain completely safe to visit. As mentioned above, change your plan and choose a beach that is in the opposite direction of the wind. Or if you planned to visit that region with smoke and fire that day, be prepared to change your travel plans at short notice. Visit the planned destination another day.

If a fire is coming towards your property:

  • Stay calm
  • Follow the instructions of the civil service
  • Help remove all flammable material around the property (at least a 10 m radius) if you notice it in the surroundings of the accommodation where you are staying
  • Close windows, doors, fireplaces, and awnings to prevent sparks from entering
  • Turn off gas installations and other fuel sources
  • Ensure access to fire trucks by opening the gate or access

These measures are only in extreme cases, and we mention them only for those tourists who may be alone in villas, for accommodations where the owners are there, we can only advise you to follow the instructions.

From years of experience, hosts will make every effort to ensure that their guests are safe and secure, we have no doubt about that.

What do the colors on the wildfire risk maps in Greece mean?

Very often, almost every day, you will see maps with yellow, orange, or red zones in Greece. We also often publish them with advice and information on which roads are closed, for example in Halkidiki or Thassos.

What do these colored zones mean and how are they determined?

The warning maps are daily wildfire risk maps (”Χάρτης Πρόβλεψης Κινδύνου Πυρκαγιάς”)
Prepared by a team of meteorologists and experts from the General Secretariat for Civil Protection and the Ministry of the Environment https://civilprotection.gov.gr/

They are published daily, in the summer period, and you can always view them on the official website here: https://civilprotection.gov.gr/en/xartis
So, you can check in advance if the roads in mountainous areas will be passable or not if you planned to visit a mountain village or viewpoint.

The maps vividly show different levels of risk (from 1 to 5) through colors. Everyone can understand them. We remind you that around 40 million tourists visit Greece, and it is very important that they know what these maps mean and convey.

Categories are marked with numbers of risk levels and colors. Each color belongs to a specific category.

  • Category 1 - low danger: less likely to spread fire - blue color
  • Category 2 - moderate
  • Category 3 - high - yellow color
  • Category 4 - very high risk - orange color
  • Category 5 - alert state (extremely rare on the map) - red color

How are the risk categories determined?

The preparation of warning maps is based on meteorological parameters: temperature, relative humidity, wind, amount of rainfall, vegetation dryness, and other factors through the calculation of the Fire Weather Index (FWI) or similar indices.

Data is collected and processed daily to make precise assessments by administrative and forest areas.

What does each category mean in practice?

The information from the maps is sent to state and civil services, as well as the population and tourists.

In accordance with the level of risk, certain measures and activities are taken. Not complying with these measures can be punishable, for everyone, from local authorities to individuals, whether they are local residents or tourists.

For areas with categories 4 or 5, special warnings are sent to local authorities and citizens to increase vigilance, introduce additional protection measures, and prepare resources (firefighters, local services). This includes bans on burning and activities that can cause fires, especially in nature.

In the case of category 5, the alarm state is activated - maximum readiness of all relevant services.
Official document (in Greek language).

How can tourists help preserve nature?

Respect the above rules.
Respect the rules and prohibitions in force during periods of high risk.
Report any smoke or fire.
Inform other tourists and local residents about the dangers.
Participate in local initiatives and volunteer actions if you have the opportunity.

Special case: Thassos

Islands like Thassos have rich nature but also a special risk of fires due to dense pine forests and summer droughts. The local community is very active, and many volunteers operate on the islands to help prevent and extinguish fires. On Thassos, every place has a volunteer who, in case a fire occurs in his vicinity and in the agreed region, will leave everything he is doing immediately and go to help according to the rules that are pre-arranged (notification, location determination, calling for help).

All of us who come to Thassos for its beauty can contribute to the preservation of the island by respecting simple rules.

Similar organizations exist on other islands.

For tourists, it is especially important to follow local recommendations, use permitted approaches, and avoid moving in closed or dangerous areas during active fires.

Useful links and contacts

[Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece](https://civilprotection.gov.gr/en/odigies-prostasias/dasikes-pyrkagies gov.gr+5civilprotection.gov.gr+5pste.gov.gr+5) –
guidelines on forest fires.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS IN GREECE

Everyone in the affected areas will receive information about the measures via an automatic message on the phone. The notification is in Greek and English, but you can always copy the text and translate it on Google to stay up-to-date with the instructions.

Knowing the risks and adhering to fire prevention rules is a crucial part of safe and responsible tourism in Greece. Conscious tourists help preserve the unique nature and the safety of everyone who enjoys this beautiful country during the summer.



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