FCDO issues Greece wildfire alert as threat remains amid 35C heat

Athens, Corfu and Rhodes were each forecast to reach 36C today (25 June), with similar predictions for the foreseeable future.

The FCDO has updated its safety and security advice for the country to include a section on extreme weather and natural hazards. In it, there is advice on how to avoid starting wildfires, including not leaving empty bottles behind, which can act as a magnifying glass and start a blaze when the sun hits.

The FCDO said: “Wildfires are dangerous and unpredictable. They can start easily and spread quickly, particularly during times of extreme heat. Causing a forest fire can be a criminal offence, even if unintentional.”

Visitors are advised to extinguish cigarette ends properly, follow local rules and signs when lighting barbecues and to always douse barbecues before leaving.

Greece is potentially seeing its earliest heatwave on record, with several heat and wildfire warnings as temperatures edged towards 45C last week.

It is hoped to avoid a repeat of last summer, when Rhodes and other islands experienced devastating wildfires that saw UK tourists evacuated.