Greece faces peak of three-day heatwave with wildfire alerts

Greece was expected to have its hottest day of the year on Wednesday, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 43C and several regions placed on alert because of wildfire risk.

Outdoor work bans were also announced during the warmest hours of the day for health reasons. The Greek Meteorological Service, known as EMY, said in an emergency bulletin that the highest temperatures were expected in Thessaly in central Greece, in the east of the country and in parts of the Peloponnese.

The civil protection authority placed the greater Athens area, central Greece and the Peloponnese on maximum wildfire alert for the first time this season. Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas said Wednesday, the final day of a three-day heatwave, would be very dangerous and called for heightened vigilance. He urged people to follow official instructions and avoid work that could start a fire.

The labour ministry banned outdoor work from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, or 1000 to 1400 GMT, in the regions expected to have the highest temperatures. Violations can be punished with fines. Employers were also urged to let vulnerable groups work remotely.

The report said it is unusual for temperatures in Greece to rise so late in July. It said rain in June and strong winds this month had kept heatwaves away so far this season, while heat records were broken across much of Europe. The National Observatory weather website Meteo.gr said Greece's first 40C reading of the season was the third most delayed since 2011, after July 20 in 2015 and July 30 in 2013.