Kythira

A very high risk of fire (risk category 4) is forecast today, Friday, August 16, in several areas of the country.

According to the Fire Risk Prediction Map issued by the General Secretariat of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, the areas prone to fire are:

A wildfire broke out Sunday in a forested area in Tsamantas, Thesprotia in the northern region of Epirus.

Strong firefighting forces have been deployed to the scene, including ground crews, five aircraft and a helicopter. 

Two different faces are expected to show up in the next few days.

The risk of fire will be very high (category 4) in large parts of the country on Tuesday, according to the relevant forecast map of the General Secretariat of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection (civilprotection.gov.gr).

The regions designated as high-risk are colored orange on the map.

The next few days are all expected to be very dangerous for the outbreak of wildfires that could very easily and quickly get out of control due to the extreme weather conditions.

The high temperatures that began Monday will continue through at least the weekend with the thermometer topping 40 degrees Celsius.

The combination of strong, gusty winds and high temperatures in the 35-40 Celsius range has raised the fire hazard warning to Level 4 for many parts of Greece on Wednesday.

Poseidon cooperated this time around. The ancient Greek god blessed the archaeologists, divers and scientists in their latest mission to the Antikythera wreck with smooth seas. Because since 2014, when research resumed at the site of antiquity's most famous sunken ship, rough seas whipped up by gale-force winds have always stood as an obstacle.

Five aerial firefighting vehicles were mobilized after a fire broke out in low vegetation near the village of Asopia in Vieotia, central Greece, on Tuesday afternoon. 

A total of 44 firefighters, supported by two ground teams, 13 vehicles, three helicopters, and two aircraft, are battling the blaze.

The Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek hand-powered orrery, which is the oldest known analog computer, followed the Greek lunar calendar, not the solar one used by the Egyptians as previously believed, according to new research by a team from the University of Glasgow.