In brief
As Greece faces severe heat, authorities shut down the Acropolis to safeguard visitors and workers, coinciding with a concerning wildfire outbreak.
The iconic Acropolis in Athens has temporarily closed its gates on Tuesday as a severe heatwave grips Greece, leading to soaring temperatures across the country. The closure, as per the culture ministry’s announcement, is effective from 13:00 to 17:00 local time (11:00-15:00 BST), aimed at ensuring the safety of thousands of daily visitors amid high temperatures expected to reach 38°C (100°F) in the city and even up to 42°C (107°F) in other regions. This announcement follows similar closures in June and July due to extreme heat conditions. In light of the expected temperatures, the labor ministry has also mandated a five-hour work stoppage for manual and outdoor workers in areas affected by the heat from 12:00 to 17:00 on Tuesday. The heatwave is predicted to persist into Wednesday, with forecasts suggesting 40–42°C for southern regions, easing only by Thursday. The current heat crisis coincides with a critical period for Greece as it reports 41 wildfires on Monday alone. While 34 were contained early, seven remain active, prompting officials to issue a Category 4 wildfire warning across five regions: Attica, the Peloponnese, central Greece, Thessaly, and western Greece. Authorities are urging the public to stay vigilant while emergency services remain on high alert. In neighboring countries, wildfires pose similar threats; southwestern France is battling a large wildfire resulting in evacuations near Narbonne, and over 2,000 people in Catalonia faced lockdowns due to wildfires that erupted over the weekend. As Western Europe grapples with extreme weather patterns, experts attribute these changing climatic conditions to human-caused climate change, which is expected to cause more frequent and intense heatwaves as the globe continues warming.
