What Causes Wildfires in Greece?:
Increasingly dry conditions, more development near forested areas, arson, and high winds are all contributing to the drastic increase in wildfires in Greece.
What Areas are Likely to be Affected by Wildfires in Greece?:
Given the Greek terrain, both on the mainland and in the Greek islands, almost anywhere can be in the path of a wildfire. The green, heavily forested island of
Samos was devastated a few years ago, and many wildfires have burned from coastal mountains down to the beaches of luxury resorts.
What Can We Do to Avoid Being Affected by a Wildfire?:
If conditions are dry and windy, you may want to rethink traveling in remote areas. However, the effect on air quality can extend far beyond the actual fire, and persons who are sensitive to air pollution may want to stay far away from the source of the fire, and they may also want to check the prevailing winds to see where the smoke and pollution is likely to flow. If you are staying overnight anywhere near a burning fire, keep your valuables handy and be alert for alarms or knocks on your door. Even if it seems safe, sudden changes in wind direction can change everything very quickly.
What is the Greek Government Doing about Wildfires?:
Greece is attempting to provide more firefighting equipment and more firefighters, but in a bad fire season, it can be stretched very thin. At one point in July of 2007, 197 separate wildfires were burning throughout Greece.
What Time of Year is Worst for Wildfires?:
When hot, dry conditions combine with high winds, the result may be a wildfire, both from natural causes and from arson. Fires can happen any time, but in recent years, the fire season has unfortunately coincided with the tourist season -
June, July, and August. So this is one more reason to try and plan your trip to Greece in the cooler, cheaper months of
May and September.
More on Wildfires in Greece:
If there are active fires burning in Greece, this Google map prepared using MODIS data shows all hotspots detected from space, depicted with a bright red and orange flame symbol placed on the geographic coordinates of the fire. The time frame shows the last 24 hours, so some fires shown may have already burned out or have been brought under control. If no fires are active, you'll just see the ordinary topographical map. By going to the larger version, you can use "Zoom Out" to check for wildfires anywhere in the world.
View Larger Map
Map is generated using MODIS data, which detects hotspots on the terrain. This is a NASA-funded project.
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Some of The Best Greek Islands
Temple-crowned Aegina - Natural Alonissos - Traditional Carpathos - Chewy Chios - Cos, The Doctors' Island - Queenly Crete - Dignified Delos - Do it all on Donoussa - Hydra, Artist's Island - Odysseus' Ithaca - Kalokairi "Mamma Mia" Island - Spongy Kalymnos - Aphrodite's Kythira - Lesvos, More than Sappho - Lovely Leros - Mighty Mykonos - Paros Paradise - Pirate Islands - Pastoral Patmos - Volcanic Santorini - Sexy Skopelos - The Dreamy Small Cyclades - Easy Spetses - Symi Summers - Very Greek Syros - Honeyed Thassos - Tilos, Island of Elephants
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