Greece is making strenuous efforts to contain forest fires in the area west of Athens for the fifth consecutive day, with expectations of another heatwave next week. Firefighters, water-dropping aircraft, and assistance from Cyprus, France, Israel, and Italy are attempting to control the flames that erupted in the Athens region. A fire department official told Reuters: "We continue fighting the fire west of Athens. We are concerned that huge fires may reignite."
Today, the government announced relief measures for affected families, including necessary assistance and financial aid for renting homes. Climate Crisis Minister Vasilis Kikilias urged citizens to exercise caution, stating: "We are going through three difficult days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, experiencing severe weather conditions and extremely high temperatures followed by strong winds," indicating that "another heatwave is expected next week." Temperatures are anticipated to reach 45 degrees Celsius on Saturday and Sunday.
