ATHENS – Residents in Greece are prohibited from burning outdoors from May 1 to October 1 to prevent wildfires that often spring up because of careless incineration of brush and materials.

That’s how 2018 wildfires that killed 102 people that summer and nearly wiped out the seaside village of Mati but the man charged with negligent burning of materials still hasn’t been identified.

Calling on the public to “avoid any outdoor activity that could cause a fire,” the fire service also encouraged people to consult with their local fire officers on preventive measures they can take, particularly in rural areas, said Kathimerini.

That information is also available online at www.fireservice.gr and on the service’s social media accounts.

New legislation allows the authorities to ban access and traffic to Natura areas, forest ecosystems, parks and groves anywhere in the country in the case of a high risk of fire.

The New Democracy government, which admitted shortcomings in the response to the devastating 2021 summer wildfires that swept across the country and burned nearly half the island of Evia, has beefed up the firefighting arsenal.