Occupational safety and health

New cases of both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza (flu) declined during the week of June 26-July 2, according to the weekly report released by the National Public Health Organization (EODY) on Thursday.

A wildfire that broke out near the town of Aliveri, on the island of Evia, north of Athens, was still active Friday morning.

A 75-year-old man has been arrested for smoking out beehives at the site where the fire started, Fire Service spokesman Yannis Artopoios told reporters.

A contingent of 20 firefighters, with ten tenders, are fighting a forest fire in the Almyros Gorge, west of the Cretan city of Iraklio.

Firefighting authorities on the island have appealed to Cretan residents and visitors not to start fires in the countryside "for any reason."

A fire broke out on Thursday near the village of Mortia, in the southern slope of Mount Pelion, the Fire Brigade said.

The blaze started in a forest area and no houses are currently at risk, it added. 

The Fire Service said it has sen 59 firefighters, two aircraft and a helicopter the area.

Türkiye's leading post-disaster search and rescue association AKUT, has announced its plans to raise awareness and provide training to over 600 institutions and nearly 15,000 employees within the next two years.

A team of 12 Greek firefighters spent 25 days in the American state of California being trained by the United States Forest Service (USFS), the Greek service said in an announcement on Tuesday.

The program is part of a partnership between the two firefighting services, both operating in countries that have experienced devastating wildfires.

A fire broke out on Monday afternoon in a wooded area near Orthonies on the island of Zakynthos. According to the Hellenic Fire Service, 20 firefighters with nine vehicles are on scene to tackle the blaze and are being supported by two aircraft.

Tens of millions of North Americans are at risk of poor air quality from raging wildfires in Canada.

Authorities in New York are starting to distribute free masks today. In a phone conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US President Joe Biden offered additional help to deal with forest fires.

A large wildfire broke out in a forested area northeast of the city of Larissa, in central Greece, the Fire Service said on Monday.

The blaze is located near the village of Kypselohori. 

Units of the Fire Service are on their way while it has also requested the assistance of aerial means to limit the spread of the fire. 

The EU has said it is doubling its aerial firefighting fleet for the summer of 2023, citing challenges such as increasing forest fires due to the climate crisis.