High fire alert in eight regions

Firefighters in eight of the countries thirteen regions have been placed on high alert, as the country's civil protection agency issued its second-highest fire warning for Friday.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection says a stage four alert exists for the Northern Aegean (Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria), Southern Aegean (Cyclades), Central Greece (Fokida, Fthiotida, Viotia, Evia, Skyros), Attica, Ionian Islands (Lefkada, Cephalonia, Zakynthos), Western Greece, the Peloponnese, Central Macedonia (Halkidiki) and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Thassos) regions.

Members of the public are asked to refrain from engaging in any activities that could cause a fire, such as burning dry grass and branches, throwing cigarettes, cooking barbeques or using machinery that produces sparks.

In the event of a fire, citizens are requested to immediately inform the fire service...