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Booking the Right Accommodation (Before You Arrive)
Ground Floor vs. Upper Floors
Whenever possible, choose a ground-floor (ισόγειο) apartment or hotel room. If electricity fails during an emergency, elevators stop working immediately. A ground-floor property allows you to evacuate much faster with elderly relatives, wheelchair users, children’s strollers and pets.
Stay Close to the Sea
Accommodation within walking distance of the beach provides an important safety advantage. If roads become blocked by a wildfire, the beach is often the safest natural open area available.
If you intend to use the sea as a possible refuge area, make sure everyone in your group knows how to swim.
Avoid “Green Traps”
Picturesque villas hidden deep inside pine forests may look attractive, but they carry greater risk during wildfire season. Avoid isolated accommodation located at the end of narrow dirt roads or dead ends. Instead, choose properties with easy access to wide asphalt roads.
What if a Fire Starts at Night While You Are Sleeping?
The 112 Emergency Alert
Greece’s emergency warning system automatically sends an emergency alert to all mobile phones in affected areas. The alert produces a loud warning tone even if your phone is on Silent or Do Not Disturb mode.
Never switch your phone off while sleeping.
Carry a Portable Smoke Alarm
Many holiday rentals do not have smoke detectors installed. A small battery-powered travel smoke alarm is inexpensive and can provide valuable early warning while your family is asleep.
Your sense of smell becomes much less responsive during sleep, but an 85 dB smoke alarm will wake you immediately.
Watch for Blackouts & Animal Behaviour
If your air conditioning suddenly stops during the night because of a power cut, wake up and check outside. Wildfires often damage power lines before flames reach nearby communities.
Also pay attention if local dogs suddenly begin barking aggressively or your own pets become unusually restless.
Sleep with Windows Closed
If there is any wildfire activity nearby, keep windows closed and set your air conditioning to Recirculate (internal air only). This helps reduce smoke entering your accommodation while you sleep.
Evacuation Equipment & Specialized Gear (First Day Check)
Flashlights by the Bed
Keep a powerful LED flashlight or headlamp next to your bed and another near the front door. If a wildfire causes a power failure during the night, smoke can reduce visibility to almost zero, making even familiar surroundings difficult to navigate.
Fire Blanket
Buy a fire blanket (Κουβέρτα Πυρόσβεσης) from a local supermarket or DIY store. It can provide temporary protection from radiant heat and flying embers while evacuating. It may also help protect children, elderly relatives or pets during an emergency.
ABC Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher
Locate the nearest fire extinguisher as soon as you arrive at your accommodation. It should only be used to clear a blocked escape route—not to fight a large wildfire.
Should You Buy Fire-Protective Clothing?
No. Professional Nomex firefighting suits are designed for trained firefighters and should not be used by tourists. Instead, wear long trousers, long-sleeved shirts made from heavy cotton or wool, and sturdy closed shoes.
Avoid nylon, polyester and other synthetic fabrics, as they can melt when exposed to extreme heat.
Burn First Aid Kit
Carry a small burn-care kit containing Hydrogel burn dressings (such as Burnshield), sterile gauze, medical tape and bottled water.
If someone suffers a burn, immediately cool the area with clean room-temperature water for at least 20 minutes. Never use butter, toothpaste, oil or ice. Cover the burn loosely with a sterile dressing or clean plastic wrap until medical help arrives.
Special Steps for People with Disabilities & Limited Mobility
Inform Your Hotel or Host
On your first day, tell your hotel manager or Airbnb host if someone in your group cannot evacuate independently. This information may become valuable during an emergency.
Prepare Backup Power
If someone relies on electrical medical equipment such as an oxygen concentrator, make sure backup batteries or a vehicle power inverter are available in case electricity fails.
Keep Mobility Equipment Ready
Wheelchairs, walking frames, prosthetics and other mobility aids should always remain beside the bed. Keep the route to the exit completely clear of luggage and furniture.
Arrange Assistance Early
If authorities issue a very high wildfire warning for your area, consider contacting local Civil Protection through 112 to explain your location and any mobility limitations before an emergency develops.
Immediate Action If Fire Approaches
Call 112 Immediately
112 is the European Emergency Number. It works throughout Greece and operators speak English.
If you have a car, say:
English speaker. Fire nearby. Strong winds. We have a vehicle. I have children, elderly people with mobility issues and dogs. Which way should we drive?
If you do not have a car, say:
English speaker. Fire nearby. Strong winds. We have NO CAR. We are on foot with children, elderly people with mobility issues and dogs. Where is the nearest safe assembly or rescue point?
Dress & Prepare Immediately
Put on your long cotton or wool clothing, sturdy closed shoes and gather your flashlights, bottled water, medicines, passports and mobile phones.
Forget your luggage. Secure children in strollers or carriers and keep all pets on short leads so they cannot run away in panic.
If You Have a Car
Load everyone into the vehicle immediately. Turn on your headlights and hazard lights, close all windows completely and switch the air conditioning to Recirculate so outside smoke cannot enter the vehicle.
If You Do Not Have a Car
Walk away from forests and dense vegetation immediately. Move towards wide concrete areas, public squares or the nearest beach.
Wave your flashlight or signal passing police officers, firefighters or local residents. Families travelling on foot are normally given priority during evacuations.
Choosing the Safest Route
Move Perpendicular to the Wind
Look carefully at the direction of the smoke. Never travel towards it. Move sideways to the wind direction or directly away from the smoke whenever possible.
Avoid Narrow Forest Roads
Stay on wide asphalt roads whenever possible. Avoid dirt roads, dry fields and narrow routes surrounded by trees where flames can spread rapidly and trap vehicles.
Seek Open Spaces
If leaving the area completely is impossible, head towards a wide sandy beach, a concrete pier or a large open parking area away from vegetation.
Useful Greek Phrases
If you have a car:
Eimai xenos. Exo atoma me anapiria kai paidia mazi mou. Apo pou na fygo me asfaleia?
I am a foreigner. I have people with disabilities and children with me. Which way can we leave safely?
If you do not have a car:
Eimai xenos. DEN EXO AFTOKINITO. Exo atoma me anapiria kai paidia mazi mou. Pou na pame gia na sothoume?
I am a foreigner. I do not have a car. I have people with disabilities and children with me. Where should we go to be safe?
Special Care for Children & Pets
Children
Keep child-sized KN95 or N95 face masks in your day bag. Standard cloth masks do not effectively filter harmful wildfire smoke and should not be relied upon if air quality becomes poor.
Pets
Never leave dogs or cats behind during an evacuation. Animals that are tied up or locked inside buildings have very little chance of survival if a wildfire reaches the area.
After walking outdoors in smoky conditions, gently wipe your pet’s paws with a damp cloth to remove ash and harmful particles.
Official Monitoring Links (Check Every Day)
Daily Fire Risk Map
Before setting off each morning, check the official Civil Protection Greece Daily Fire Risk Map. If your destination is under Category 4 (Very High Risk) or Category 5 (Extreme Risk), remain especially alert and follow any restrictions or evacuation instructions issued by the authorities.
mAiGreece App
Download the free mAiGreece App. It provides official travel information, emergency notifications and useful safety guidance in several languages, making it especially helpful for international visitors.
My Personal Tip
After many years travelling around Greece, one habit has always helped me avoid unnecessary risks: every morning I spend just one minute checking the weather forecast and the official fire risk map before deciding where to go. If strong winds or a very high wildfire risk are forecast for one area, I simply visit another part of the island or country that day.
Greece offers thousands of beautiful beaches, villages and attractions, so changing your plans is easy. A little flexibility can make your holiday both safer and far more relaxing.
