Greece Swelters, Fire Warnings Issued, as Heatwave Rolls On

General

With temperatures soaring as high as 44 degrees Celsius, authorities are urging the public to be vigilant about fires and to avoid outdoor work.

A heatwave swept Greece for a sixth day on Friday, with temperatures due to reach 44 degrees Celsius.

Tourists in Thessaloniki, 24 July 2025. Photo: EPA/ACHILLEAS CHIRAS

Authorities in Greece have imposed work restrictions and issued warnings about the risk of fires as the country continued to swelter in an ongoing heatwave on Friday.

A man stands in front of a water sprinkler to relieve the heat in Athens, 24 July 2025. Photo: EPA/YANNIS KOLESIDIS

Even temperatures inside people’s homes have hit unbearable levels, said Greenpeace Greece and Greece’s Passive House Institute in a study published on Friday, noting that “indoor temperatures in uninsulated and inadequately upgraded homes reached up to 34 degrees Celsius”.

A tourist rests in the shade of a tree, in Thessaloniki, Greece, 24 July 2025. Photo: EPA/ACHILLEAS CHIRAS

Earlier in the week, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection warned of a high risk of fire, advising people to “be conscientious and avoid actions in the countryside that can cause a fire through negligence”. Greece has already been battling wildfire outbreaks over the summer season so far.

A young man dives from the waterfront of Agia Triada, in the suburbs of Thessaloniki, 23 July 2025. Photo: EPA/ACHILLEAS CHIRAS

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has imposed emergency measures to address the issue of heat stress at work. It has suspended all manual outdoor work from 12 to 5 pm and called on employees in high-risk groups to work remotely.