A tourist uses a hand fan to cool down another one sitting on a bench in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis, in Athens, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The ancient site was closed to the public for five hours due to a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital and even higher in parts of central Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Tourists with an umbrella walk in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis in central Athens, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The ancient site was closed to the public for five hours due to a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital and even higher in parts of central Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Tourists stand at the Aeropagous hill in front of the ancient Acropolis, in central Athens on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The ancient site of Acropolis will be closed to the public for five hours due to a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital and even higher in parts of central Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Tourist walk next a mist machine in Monastiraki district of Athens as at the background is seen the ancient Acropolis Hill on Thursday, June 13, 2024. Temperatures are expected to exceed 40C (104F) on Thursday in much of central and southern Greece, including greater Athens, the Cyclades and Crete. The ancient Acropolis site was closed for second day to the public for five hours due to a heat wave. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
A tourist uses a hand fan to cool down another one sitting on a bench in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis, in Athens, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The ancient site was closed to the public for five hours due to a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital and even higher in parts of central Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Tourists with an umbrella walk in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis in central Athens, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The ancient site was closed to the public for five hours due to a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital and even higher in parts of central Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Tourists stand at the Aeropagous hill in front of the ancient Acropolis, in central Athens on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. The ancient site of Acropolis will be closed to the public for five hours due to a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital and even higher in parts of central Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Tourist walk next a mist machine in Monastiraki district of Athens as at the background is seen the ancient Acropolis Hill on Thursday, June 13, 2024. Temperatures are expected to exceed 40C (104F) on Thursday in much of central and southern Greece, including greater Athens, the Cyclades and Crete. The ancient Acropolis site was closed for second day to the public for five hours due to a heat wave. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Authorities in Greece closed down the Acropolis in Athens during the afternoon on Thursday for a second day as the country swelters under unseasonably high temperatures.
The Culture Ministry said the hilltop citadel, which is Greece's most popular ancient site, was closed from midday to 5 p.m. local time because of the heat.
All other archaeological sites in the Greek capital were also shut during the same hours. People who had booked visits for that period could use their tickets later in the day until the sites close at 8 p.m., the ministry said.
Temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday in much of central and southern Greece, including greater Athens, the Cyclades and Crete.
Officials are on heightened alert for wildfires, which plague Greece every summer.
The minister responsible for civil protection, Vassilis Kikilias, said Thursday posed a particular wildfire risk due to the combination of high temperatures and winds.
“The early start of the heat waves, combined with the dry winter, has led to a very difficult fire season,” he said.
The fire service also warned of a very high wildfire threat on Friday.
Authorities in Athens are providing air-conditioned areas to the public and have issued fans to secondary schools where end-of-year and university entrance exams are being held.
Temperatures are expected to drop on Friday and Saturday.
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