Extension for the cleaning and declaration of plots until June 22 was announced by Evangelos Tournas on ERTnews.
The Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas, during his interview on ERTnews, while also announcing the extension of the deadline for cleaning and declaring plots until Monday, June 22.
At the same time, Mr. Tournas announced that next week an additional 600 positions for seven-year-term firefighters are expected to be announced.
The minister emphasized that clearing plots of land is a civic duty and a critical preventive measure, as the removal of combustible material plays a decisive role in protecting human lives, property, and settlements. At the same time, he warned that after the new deadline expires, strict inspections will be carried out by municipalities and the relevant authorities, both in response to complaints and on their own initiative.
As he noted, the decision was made following the opinion of the Risk Assessment Committee, which met today to examine the impending weather phenomena. As of last night, he noted, 373,000 cleanup declarations had been submitted, while last year approximately 730,000 declarations were recorded by the deadline.
Regarding prevention, he noted that in recent years the resources allocated for forest protection projects, forest and peri-urban park cleanups, and the creation of firebreaks and forest roads have increased significantly. He made special mention of the Antinero program, through which more than 660 million euros have been allocated over the past five years for prevention projects across the country, with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
He also made special mention of the site inspections he has been conducting recently in high-risk areas of Attica, with the aim of monitoring the progress of preventive work and assessing the additional interventions required before the peak of the fire season. As he noted, he has already visited Ymittos and Penteli, while in the coming period he will visit areas in northeastern and western Attica as well as Parnitha. At the same time, he praised the cooperation with the Armed Forces and, in particular, with DIKAFKA, which is providing additional support with heavy equipment for the prevention and cleanup efforts being carried out as part of the Antinero program.
The minister noted that this year, 108 drones are in operation across the country, 33 of which are in Attica, providing continuous coverage day and night and enabling the immediate detection of new fire outbreaks, thereby significantly strengthening, as he emphasized, significantly strengthening the surveillance and early warning mechanism.
Regarding the challenges of this year’s fire season, he emphasized that the increased rainfall over the past period has led to intense growth of vegetation and consequently to an increased fuel load, a fact that makes the adoption of preventive measures even more necessary. At the same time, he estimated that July and August are expected to be particularly challenging due to high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds.
He made a special mention of the need to reduce the number of fires caused by human activities, noting that 85% of fires in the country are due to human negligence. As he reported, as of last night, 658 fires had been recorded, while in 411 cases the perpetrators have already been identified. During the same period, he said, 81 arrests have been made and administrative fines totaling over 400,000 euros have been imposed.
As he pointed out, strict enforcement of the law and holding people accountable are key tools for preventing and deterring new fires, while he also referred to the enhanced role of the Arson Crimes Division, as well as the operation of 37 investigative teams across the country, which, as he emphasized, contribute to solving cases and identifying those who cause fires through negligence or intent.
Responding to the operational difficulties created by multiple simultaneous incidents, he noted that even the strongest mechanism is put to the test when called upon to tackle dozens of fires at the same time. As a telling example, he cited August 12, 2025, when a total of 60 to 65 fires broke out in Western Greece within a short period of time. As he explained, in such cases, there is a significant dispersion of available forces, both on the ground and in the air, a fact which, as he noted, significantly hinders the operational response.
For this reason, he emphasized that reducing the number of fires is a fundamental prerequisite for more effective protection of citizens, property, and the natural environment.
In presenting the country’s operational readiness, the minister noted that this year, 51 leased aircraft and approximately 30 national aircraft are available, forming a fleet of approximately 80–81 aircraft, depending on daily availability, for the fire season. At the same time, as he said, the Fire Department has 18,000 firefighters, while next week, as he noted, the announcement of an additional 600 positions for seven-year-term firefighters is expected.
Mr. Tournas referenced the contribution of Civil Protection volunteers, noting that more than 200 volunteer teams with over 5,200 trained and certified volunteers are registered in the National Registry. As he noted, this year the Ministry supplied the teams with personal protective equipment through the AIGIS program, while, as he added, ways are being explored to cover fuel costs to support their work during the fire season.
In closing, the minister emphasized that: “In this effort, no one is expendable. The State, local government, volunteers, and citizens must all contribute to mitigating the risk and protecting human lives, property, and the natural environment.”
