Ban on entering Halkidiki forests due to high fire risk

Local authorities on the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece have imposed a temporary ban on access to several forested areas due to an increased risk of wildfires.

Scope of the ban and hours

The measure, ordered by Deputy Regional Governor Yanis Kufidis, prohibits pedestrians and all types of vehicles from entering certain forest areas in the municipalities of Kassandra, Sithonia and Aristotelis. The restriction is in force from 08:00 to 20:00 on Saturday, as a preventive measure to avoid fires.

The scope in Kassandra covers the tip of the peninsula from Kasandrino to Agia Paraskevi and the forest belts locally known as Arapis and Halkovuni in the Paliouri community.

In Sithonia, the ban applies to the tip near Dragundeli, the area extending from the beekeepers' cooperative to Sykia, as well as the forest corridor from Komitsa to Ouranoupolis, plus the areas Tsamia Stratonikis, Fisoka and the Stratoni shooting range.

Authorities called on residents and visitors to respect the restrictions. "We call on residents and visitors to respect the restrictions, which aim to reduce the risk of fires during a period of high temperatures, dangerous for the spread of fires," the authorities said.

According to the services, the bans are precautionary and linked to forecasts for hot and dry weather which increase the risk of ignition and the rapid spread of fire; this follows a season in which parts of southern Europe were struck by serious and sometimes deadly fires.

Photo: MIA