Greece on High Alert as Gale-Force Meltemi Winds Threaten Wildfire Eruption

Greek authorities placed much of the country on red alert this weekend as near-gale-force northerly winds created extremely dangerous conditions for the ignition and rapid spread of wildfires across a 70-hour window through Monday.

Meteorologist Nikos Kanteres warned via news outlet iefimerida that, while much of central and western Europe contends with a severe heatwave, Greece's primary threat is not temperature but the intensity of seasonal "meltemi" winds, expected to reach sustained speeds of 8 on the Beaufort scale, with localised gusts peaking violently at 9 and 10.

The red-alert zones span the Attica basin, Evia, the eastern Peloponnese, the Cyclades, Crete, the Dodecanese and the eastern islands of the northern Aegean. Within Attica, the most vulnerable areas include the western part of the region and the mountain ranges of Penteli, Hymettus, Parnitha and Geraneia.

Compounding the danger is a significant build-up of uncleared, dry combustible vegetation. Mr. Kanteres urged regional and state civil protection agencies to remain on heightened alert, warning that any fire breaking out under these wind conditions would be exceptionally difficult to contain.

A brief reprieve is expected Tuesday and Wednesday, when wind speeds are forecast to ease and isolated rainfall should bring cooler, moister air to northern Greece.

Civil protection authorities urged residents to avoid any outdoor activity that could trigger accidental sparks, including the use of outdoor machinery, welding or burning dry vegetation, as the country braces for what officials fear could be a particularly volatile stretch of the summer fire season.

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