New wildfires break out close to Athens; is it safe to travel to Greece?

Holidaymakers have received a warning about visiting the parts of Greece that have been struck by yet another punishing wildfire.

A series of deadly wildfires have led to mass evacuations from several areas including tourist hotspots. The firefighters are battling to control the blazes as they rage through northeastern Greece, close to Athens.

Another bout of extreme heat, which saw temperatures reach 41°C, sparked the fires, with the mercury remaining quite high across Greece's mainland. The gushing winds have made the environment more dangerous, causing the fires to spread. The forested area of northern Greece has been burning for the last four days, and the catastrophe has led to the deaths of at least 18 people, according to the BBC.

The fires have destroyed several homes across the popular hotspots in Greece.

Can tourists still travel to Greece?

While travelling to Greece is not officially advised against, travellers are being urged to check with their travel and accommodation provider to see if the area of their accommodation has been affected.

Can tourists get a refund if they choose not to travel?

Holidaymakers are being encouraged to contact their travel and insurance company in advance to get details of a possible refund. However, unless one is set to travel to an area directly affected by the fires, a refund looks unlikely.

Meanwhile, Greece announced that those who were forced to flee from Rhodes because of the wildfires will be able to return for free next year.

UK Foreign Office's advise

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not updated its advisory with any latest warning. But its standard advisory had already included a warning over the severe summer season across Greece.

"Extreme temperatures are affecting many areas of Greece. There are active wildfires across Greece, including in populated areas on the mainland and a number of islands. Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly," wrote FCDO, before asking people to take "appropriate insurance" before travelling.

Warning further, the FCDO wrote," Causing a forest fire is treated as a criminal offence in Greece even if unintentional. If you see a forest fire, call the emergency services on 112. Forest fires can also cause travel disruption in wider areas."

The UK Foreign Office has also advised that a tourist must take care when visiting or travelling through woodland areas, not light barbeques, and ensure cigarettes are properly extinguished.

This summer, Europe has been struck by multiple heatwaves, with several countries into their second or third waves. The likes of Italy and Spain are currently dealing with a third heatwave as temperatures are expected to go past 40°C in the coming days.