Civil Protection Agency

Greek authorities have issued a fire hazard warning for five regions on Sunday, as high temperatures continued to spark wildfires in several parts of the country.

According to the prediction map published by the Civil Protection Agency, the regions are considered to be at very high risk of wildfires, ranking at Level 4 (orange) out of a maximum of 5.

As a week-long heatwave continued on Thursday, authorities have issued a fire hazard warning for Friday.

According to the prediction map published by the Civil Protection Agency, two regions are considered to be at very high risk of wildfires, ranking at Level 4 (orange) out of a maximum of 5: They are Evros and Rodopi, in northeastern Greece.

With temperatures soaring above 40s Celsius on Thursday after a week-long heatwave, authorities have issued a fire hazard warning for Friday.

According to the fire hazard prediction map published by the Civil Protection Agency, five regions are considered to be at very high risk of wildfires, ranking at Level 4 (orange) out of a maximum of 5.

Two major wildfires were burning west of Athens for a second day in a row Tuesday, burning dozens of houses, animals and threatening an oil refinery late at night, authorities said.

Starting in Attica Monday, the fires have spread into the regional units of Corinthia and Viotia, burning mostly through forestland, but also farmland, authorities said.

With temperatures peaking in the low 40s Celsius on Friday, authorities have issued a fire hazard warning for Saturday.

According to the fire hazard prediction map published by the Civil Protection Agency, five regions are considered to be at very high risk of wildfires, ranking at Level 4 (orange) out of a maximum of 5.

Greek authorities on Friday said they will reimpose tougher lockdown restrictions in greater Athens after a January decline in infection rates was reversed this week.

Most retail stores will close in the capital Saturday, retaining pickup services only, after being allowed to reopen on Jan. 18.

A border guard serving in the region of Evros in northeastern Greece has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, local media reported on Tuesday.

Evros-news.gr said that the unnamed guard, a Soufli local who was serving at the town's border post, was rushed to the General University Hospital of Alexandroupoli on Monday after colleagues became concerned for his health.

The head of the Civil Protection Agency, Angelo Borelli, announced today, as Reuters reports.
The Italian government decided this week to extend the state of emergency by April 13, which restricted freedom of movement and closed down all businesses that are not relevant to the supply of the population.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Turkey is sending aid to Italy and Spain, Europe's most hard-hit countries, during their fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Just days after hitting half a million, the number of coronavirus cases worldwide crossed the 800,000 mark on March 30, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The virus, also known as COVID-19, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 177 countries and regions around the globe, with over 38,714 deaths worldwide.