The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs Romanian citizens who are in, transiting or intending to travel to Greece that the local authorities maintain a warning of high risk of forest fires (level 5) throughout the country, against the background of the heat wave code red (July 25-27, 2023).

A firefighter helps put out fires in GreecePhoto: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia

Romanian authorities recommend that Romanian citizens who are in the fire zone strictly follow the instructions of local authorities and constantly monitor official sources of public information.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarifies that, given that due to extreme weather conditions there are several vegetation fires on the territory of Greece (on the islands of Rhodes, Corfu, Evia, the Peloponnese-Corinthian peninsula), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Romanian citizens who intend to travel to the Hellenic Republic during this period inform themselves of the existing situation before starting their trip and avoid traveling to areas where fires are ongoing. or the immediate risk of their occurrence.

“At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that citizens of Romania, who are in the fire zone, strictly follow the instructions of local authorities and constantly monitor official sources of public information,” the message reads.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds Romanian citizens that Greek law prohibits and strictly sanctions any outdoor activity that may cause sparks or fire and thus create the appearance of a fire outbreak, the ministry also notes.

Romanian citizens in Greece who notice a fire can immediately report the event by calling 112 (the single emergency number) or 199 (the fire service), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Battered by one of the most persistent heat waves in decades, with temperatures reaching over 46 degrees Celsius in some places on Sunday, Greece has been battling wildfires since last week. A fierce fire that broke out on the tourist island of Rhodes, in the southeast Aegean Sea, led to the evacuation of 30,000 tourists on Saturday, July 22, in what Greek authorities said was “the largest operation (of its kind) ever carried out in Greece.”