Crete faces Category 5 wildfire risk on Saturday, forcing closure of forests and gorges
All of Crete has been placed under Category 5 “Red Code” wildfire risk for Saturday, August 29, 2026, the Region of Crete’s Civil Protection service said, citing the daily fire risk forecast map issued by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection. All four regional units — Heraklion, Lasithi, Rethymno and Chania — fall into the highest danger category.
The civil protection mechanism has been placed on full alert, with personnel and equipment activated and deployed across the island to respond to emergencies linked to the elevated risk, according to the Region of Crete. A meteorologist has previously linked Crete’s Red Code wildfire alerts to wind, heat and terrain conditions on the island.
Bans on open fire and hot work
Under Fire Department Order 9/24, the following are banned across Crete for the duration of the alert: burning of crop residue, grassland or pastureland; the use of open fire outdoors for any event, including religious, cultural, recreational or film-production activities; smoking near beehives; hot work such as welding or cutting with grinding wheels; outdoor barbecues using any fuel; sky lanterns or hot-air balloons; and fireworks.
Authorities also banned the passage, presence and movement of people and vehicles in dozens of forests, gorges and other sensitive ecosystems across the island for the duration of the alert.
Closures in Heraklion and Lasithi
In the Heraklion regional unit, the closures cover the forests of Symi (Municipality of Viannos), Rouvas–Zaros (Municipalities of Gortyna and Faistos), Koudouma (Municipality of Gortyna), Keris (Municipality of Malevizi), Fourni, Giouchtas and Epanosifi (all in the Municipality of Archanes–Asterousia).
In Lasithi, closures affect the forests of Azilakos, Vathy, Thryptis, Kalo Chorio and Meseleroi, Selakano, the Kritsa cypress forest, Krousta, the Vai palm forest (daily from 22:00 to 06:00) and the Pefkoseli forest at Schinokapsala, along with the gorges of Richtis, Kritsa, Zakros, Chochlakies, Sarakina and Pervolakia, all closed around the clock. The Diktaion Cave on the Lasithi Plateau, whose closure was announced separately for Friday, remains closed.
Closures in Rethymno and Chania
In Rethymno, restrictions apply to the peri-urban forests of Evligia–Profitis Ilias–Agios Ioannis and the reforested area south of the Arkadi Monastery, both in the Municipality of Rethymno; the Paradeisos Armenon grove; the Mylon gorge; the peri-urban forests of Kissos, Agkouseliana and Agios Ioannis in the Municipality of Agios Vasileios; sections of the Kourtaliotis river supervised by OFYPEKA and the Municipality of Agios Vasileios; the Margarites gorge in the Municipality of Mylopotamos; and the Agios Antonios Patsou gorge in the Municipality of Amari.
In Chania, the closures cover sections of the European E4 trail between Balos and Falasarna, Kryos and Elafonisi, Sougia and Gialiskari, and Sougia and Agia Rouni; the Kathiana windmill park; the Preventoriou–Pefkon and Agios Matthaios forests in the Municipality of Chania; the Agios Ioannis and Korfou forests on Gavdos; the Samaria gorge; the route to the Balos lagoon; the Imbros, Aradaina, Topolia, Diktamos and Anydron gorges; the Kedrodasos cedar forest; the Agia Eirini gorge; and the road to the Kallergi–Poria refuge.
Maps showing the exact boundaries of each closed area were drawn up with Crete’s Forestry Directorates and published on the Region of Crete’s website. People who live or work within the restricted areas are exempt from the ban, the Region said.
Fines for violators
Administrative fines will be imposed on anyone found violating the restrictions, without prejudice to stricter penalties provided elsewhere in law, and violations will be reported to the relevant licensing authority, such as the Directorate of Rural Economy and Veterinary Services, for possible further action. The alert follows a similar order that saw authorities close forests, gorges and trails across Crete under a Red Code alert a day earlier, after Crete was rated very high wildfire risk on Thursday and patrols were increased.
Civil Protection listed emergency numbers for the public: 199 (Fire Service), 112 (European emergency number), 1591 (Forest Policy Enforcement Inspection), 100 (Hellenic Police), 108 (Coast Guard) and 166 (EKAB, the national ambulance service).
