South Aegean Red Code Wildfire Alert

The entire South Aegean Region was placed under Red Code mobilisation on Saturday 15 August 2026 as very strong to gale-force winds significantly increased the danger of wildfires.

The Risk Assessment Committee and Civil Protection's daily fire-risk map forecast category four, or very high, danger in the areas covered by the Red Code.

The heightened status also included the North Aegean, Crete, Attica and parts of the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Thessaly, Central Macedonia, and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

Red Code activation required full readiness from the responsible services, personnel and equipment. Municipalities and regional authorities were asked to convene their Civil Protection coordinating bodies to prevent and respond to possible forest fires.

Strong winds were expected to persist throughout the Feast of the Assumption, particularly in eastern and southern Greece.

Winds in the central Aegean were forecast at seven to eight Beaufort, reaching nine locally until the afternoon. The Cyclades were also expected to experience seven to eight Beaufort and locally nine in northern areas.

North-westerly winds around Kasos and Karpathos were forecast at seven to eight Beaufort. On Crete, northerly winds were expected at six to eight Beaufort, with gusts south of the island potentially exceeding 100 kilometres an hour.

Strong winds were expected to continue across parts of the Aegean on Sunday 16 August, with a gradual easing from the afternoon.