The General Secretariat for Civil Protection raised the wildfire danger to Category 4 for Aug. 6 in Attica, Viotia and Evia.
The highest level of the warning will trigger a full-scale response from Greece’s National Civil Protection Mechanism. Firefighters, police and armed forces will carry out ground and aerial patrols in areas considered vulnerable to fires.
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Authorities will also impose preventive restrictions on vehicle traffic and visitors in forests and other high-risk locations.
Residents have been urged to avoid any activity that could accidentally ignite vegetation as hot and dry conditions increase the threat.
The warning comes as firefighters brought a wildfire near Koropi, southeast of Athens, under control on Wednesday.
The fire broke out in low vegetation in the Driggia area at about 1:45 p.m. local time, according to Greece’s Fire Service.
At least 52 firefighters, including three specialized forest commando units, were deployed along with 14 vehicles. Four helicopters and two water-dropping aircraft took part in the operation, while another helicopter coordinated the aerial response.
Local authorities also sent water tankers to support firefighters. The operations center monitored the blaze using thermal and optical cameras mounted on drones.
An arson investigation team was dispatched to establish how the Koropi fire started.
Meanwhile, firefighters were continuing to battle a much larger wildfire that began last week in Viotia before spreading into western Attica.
Satellite data from the European Union’s Copernicus monitoring system estimated that the blaze had burned about 14,424 hectares, or roughly 35,642 acres.
The fire has already been linked to a deadly accident involving firefighting aircraft.
A Danish pilot and a Greek aerial coordinator were killed Sunday when two firefighting helicopters collided in midair while taking part in operations against the blaze.
With another day of very high wildfire danger forecast across Attica, Viotia and Evia, Greek authorities are preparing for a potentially difficult period and have put emergency services on maximum readiness.
