Greece steps up preparedness ahead of 2025 fire season

Athens, April 25 (IANS) Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced a 45-day extension to the deadline for clearing overgrown vegetation on private properties, as part of the country's efforts to better prepare for what is expected to be another challenging wildfire season.

Mitsotakis on Thursday underscored the need for public cooperation in clearing plots of land, calling it a critical line of defence that had proven effective in protecting homes and aiding firefighting efforts last year, when the country experienced devastating fires.

Mitsotakis also said, "There are more firefighters on the ground, and the number of trained volunteers continues to grow."

"We must be prepared for the worst possible scenario," the Prime Minister said, as officials noted that more than 1,300 fires had broken out in March, a time when Greek farmers traditionally burn leftover crops, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Prime Minister's office said more than 18,000 firefighters would be available this year, "a number higher than ever before".

Another 300 firefighters from five fellow European Union member countries will be permanently stationed in Greece this year, it added.

There will also be 3,700 fire engines and 80 surveillance drones.

Greece battled a spate of deadly wildfires last year, including a massive blaze that forced thousands to flee their homes and reached the suburbs of Athens before it was brought under control.

The Civil Protection and Climate Crisis Ministry has confirmed that this year's fire season will begin on May 1 as usual.

Enhanced interagency coordination and investment in early warning systems are central to the 2025 fire response plan.

According to the Hellenic Fire Service, more than 8,000 wildfires occurred during the 2024 fire season, in which seven people were killed, including two firefighters, 210 homes were destroyed and more than 150,000 hectares were scorched, with total damages exceeding 1.2 billion euros ($1.37 billion), a 35 per cent increase from 2023.

In a major shift in its long-standing firefighting tactics, Greece last year decided to start dispatching aerial and ground forces in the first critical hours after a fire breaks out and also to step up patrols, measures which have helped to contain damage to land and property.

--IANS

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