ATHENS — Maximum temperatures will reach as high as 44-46C on Tuesday, according to a forecast by the National Observatory of Athens weather service, meteo.gr. The risk of forest fires will also be extremely high for the next few days, meteo said, forecasting extremely unfavourable fire and weather conditions during the week.

The height of the heatwave on Tuesday and Wednesday, based on the Canadian Fire Weather Index, will coincide with peak conditions for the start and spread of forest fires. Very high risk areas include Attica, Viotia, Fthiotida, Evia, the Peloponnese, Crete, the Cyclades and Dodecanese islands, Lesvos, Limnos, Samothrace, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Lefkada, Kefallonia, Zakynthos, Epirus, Western Central Greece, Macedonia, Thessaly and parts of Evros.

The extended hot and dry conditions have increased the flammability of the dead combustible matter throughout the country, making any use of fire extremely dangerous. The National Observatory of Athens repeated an appeal to avoid any use of fire on Tuesday and the following days to avoid starting a fire.