Is it safe to travel to Greece? Warning after wildfires hit 40 different locations
dailyrecord.co.ukOne person has died and thousands have been evacuated after wildfires swept across Greece, encroaching on the popular tourist destination of Athens and damaging hundreds of buildings and homes.Although the wildfires, which have burned through 100,000 acres, have now been extinguished, fire crews are still on high alert for flames to break out again.
Weather conditions in Greece are extremely hot, with highs of more than 30C and wind gusts creating the perfect conditions for another fire to break out.Greece's chief fire brigade spokesman Vasilis Vathrakogiannis told the BBC firefighters will continue to douse the ground and maintain a strong presence in the area.The interior ministry has allocated €4.7m (£4m) in emergency funding to areas affected by wildfires, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned home from his holidays early in order to handle the crisis.European countries including Italy, France, Serbia, Spain, the Czech Republic and Romania provided assistance including aircraft, personnel and aid to Greece.
More than 700 firefighters, 199 fire engines and 35 water bombing aircraft all worked tirelessly to bring the flames under control as they crept closer to the densely populated city of Athens.Although travel to Greece has not been advised against by the UK Government yet, it would be wise to check directly with your travel provider if your bookings and flights are still valid.
If you choose to cancel your booking, you're unlikely to receive a refund as the UK Government has not issued a travel advisory.A spokesperson for Abta the Travel Association, told i news: "In the summer, wildfires are a fact of life in Greece, and the authorities are well prepared to deal with them swiftly and
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