Schools remained closed in central and southern parts of Greece.
In Athens, the Acropolis was closed on Wednesday due to the first heat wave of the summer, and schools in central and southern Greece remained closed due to the heat.
In Athens, health workers have been put on standby across the city, because the temperature on the thermometer on Wednesday and Thursday is expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius due to the heat and dust coming from North Africa.
The Acropolis in Athens, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most important tourist destination in the Greek capital, is closed from noon to 5 p.m. Local Red Cross employees distribute bottled water to tourists.
The highest temperature in Athens was measured in 2007, 45 degrees, and the highest temperature across the country, 48 degrees, was recorded in 1977 in Elefsina, near Athens.
Greece is one of the European countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. During last year's heatwave, several forest fires destroyed, then storms caused severe floods that destroyed farmland and people's livelihoods.
According to meteorologists, last winter was the warmest in the country's recorded history, which makes it likely that more forest fires will break out this year. However, forest fires broke out earlier than expected in Greece this year, so a fire actually broke out in March.
On Wednesday, firefighters and police units were on ground and air patrols, monitoring the forest and preparing for stormy weather forecast for the weekend, which is also causing the fires to spread. Greek disaster management authorities intensified staff training and increased their numbers.
The heat is expected to end by the end of the week, MTI reports.
