The Greek government has approved an increase in the working hours available to seasonal firefighters to ensure that any additional overtime linked to wildfires can be funded in time.

The decision was signed Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

Under the measure, each seasonal firefighter will receive an additional 156 hours of overtime, 60 hours of work on Sundays and public holidays, and 204 hours of night work.

The increase will result in an additional expenditure of €3,043,900. Of that amount, €1,491,900 will cover night work and work on Sundays and public holidays, while €1,552,000 will go toward overtime.

The decision comes as Greece remains in the middle of its annual wildfire season, when seasonal firefighters may be required to work additional hours because of fires.

Earlier Monday, seasonal firefighters from the Peloponnese held a rally in the city of Tripoli. They wore black armbands to honor colleagues who have died and carried the message that “fires are not seasonal.”

Among their demands are equal treatment, year-round employment, the removal of age limits from recruitment calls and the use of their experience throughout the year.