The Acropolis of Athens and surrounding ancient monuments of the city in Greece will remain closed to the public during the peak hours of the heatwave between noon and 5 pm Greek time this weekend.
The Athens Antiquities Ephorate on Friday announced the measures that will apply from July 25 to July 27 for the archaeological sites of the Acropolis and Klityon, Olympion, Lyceum, the Roman Agora, the Ancient Agora, and Adrian’s Library for the protection of staff and visitors during the period of dangerously high temperatures.
Similar measures were taken during an earlier heatwave in July. The latest heatwave prevailed on Friday in many parts of the country, with temperatures exceeding 42°C (107°F) in many areas and reaching 44-45°C (113°F) locally.
Record high temperatures during Greece heatwave
The network of automatic weather stations of the National Observatory of Athens observed the highest temperatures in Greece during the current heatwave in Epirus, Western Greece, Thessaly, the Peloponnese, southern Crete, and Macedonia.
The maximum temperature was recorded in Skala, Messinia and was 45.8°C (114°F). Very high temperatures were recorded across a wide geographical area, the report notes, and it is estimated that an astonishing 85 percent of Greece’s population experienced maximum temperatures above 39°C (102°F). In the prefecture of Attica and the city of Athens, specifically, the temperature exceeded 40°C (104°F) in most areas.
The temperature exceeded 37°C (99°F) at 359 of the 554 active automatic weather stations, 40°C (104°F) at 165 stations and 42°C (107°F) at 46 stations. The average maximum temperature in the country was the highest in recent days, reaching 37.6°C (100°F).
Extreme risk of fire during Greece heatwave
According to a statement by the Hellenic Fire Brigade, the risk of forest fires will be high on Saturday in many parts of the country. The Fire Brigade staff are on partial alert in areas where an increased danger of fires is expected, according to the Fire Risk Forecast Map issued by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection.
Meanwhile, firefighting authorities remain on high alert in areas where there is an extreme fire threat. There will be a ban on vehicles and visitors in national parks and forests in these areas. Aerial surveillance patrols are continuing for the timely detection of fire outbreaks.
A fire that erupted on Friday afternoon in a forest area in Agios Georgios in Ancient Olympia was tackled by a force of over 60 firefighters who managed to bring it partially under control.
Earlier this week, a wildfire that broke out on Tuesday in a remote, densely vegetated forest in Feneos on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece destroyed a large part of the untouched landscape before being brought under control. Two men were arrested, as the blaze was reportedly sparked by welding work they were carrying out near the forest during the heatwave.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
