Meeting with the Deputy Mayors for Civil Protection of all municipalities of Attica was held today by the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Evangelos Tournas, with the aim of coordinating efforts to clean up vacant lots, conducting inspections for compliance, and the enforcement of the institutional framework for imposing penalties in view of the peak of the fire season.
At the start of the meeting, the Minister emphasized that the country is entering a particularly challenging period, as scientific forecasts indicate high temperatures and drought in the coming months, while the dense vegetation that has grown following this year’s rainfall has significantly increased the amount of available fuel.
As he noted, “We are entering a truly difficult wildfire season,” as the combination of drought, high temperatures, winds, and increased fuel load favors both the outbreak and the rapid spread of fires.
Mr. Tournas reiterated that the two main objectives of this year’s plan are to reduce the number of fires and to reduce the amount of combustible material, noting that this is an effort in which everyone must participate: the State, the municipalities, the relevant agencies, and the citizens.
Referring to data from the current fire season, he noted that since May 1, 803 fires have been recorded nationwide, a number that is 14% lower than the average over the past twenty years, but, as he emphasized, remains particularly high. At the same time, he emphasized that when many fires break out on the same day, it causes a serious strain on resources, both in aerial and ground-based operations, a fact that makes the need to limit the number of new fires even more urgent.
The minister placed particular emphasis on combating arson, whether caused by negligence or intent, noting that “we pursue the arsonist, whether the act was committed through negligence or intent,” with the Arson Crimes Division now reinforced and 37 Local Arson Crimes Response Units operating throughout the country.
As he noted, to date, 435 administrative fines have been imposed for violations of fire safety laws, fines totaling approximately 443,000 euros have been confirmed, and 95 arrests have been made under the procedure for offenses caught in the act. He emphasized, in fact, that the relevant agencies now have both the experience and the resources to identify the causes and perpetrators of fires, utilizing a network of 108 drones across the country, 33 of which are operating in Attica.
He placed particular emphasis on the issue of clearing plots of land. Mr. Tournas noted that to date, approximately530,000 cleanup declarations on the dedicated platform and called on municipalities to immediately complete the work assigned to them, as well as to assist citizens in managing clearing waste.
In this context, it asked municipalities to designate and publicize collection points for prunings and plant debris, so that citizens cleaning their properties know where they can dispose of them. As he noted, it is crucial for municipalities to stand by their residents, because “the harder we work now, the less work we’ll have later,” when the country enters the most challenging phase of the summer.
The Minister made it clear that the deadline for clearing and registering plots of land expires definitively on June 22 and no further extension will be granted. “The climate crisis gives us no leeway. These phenomena are coming, and we must address them,” he emphasized, calling on municipalities to begin inspections starting June 23, records, and the imposition of the prescribed fines.
At the same time, he emphasized that the enforcement of penalties is not an end in itself, but a necessary tool for protecting life, property, and the environment. As he said, “You’re not doing a favor to the resident who cleaned up by doing a favor to the one who didn’t,” pointing out that those who do not comply endanger not only their own property but also their neighbors, their communities, and the natural environment.
Mr. Tournas also announced that the Fire Department willactively assist municipalities with inspections, with local fire departments collaborating with municipal authorities to document violations and impose the applicable fines.
In closing the meeting, the Minister called on all stakeholders to continue their prevention efforts with vigor, emphasizing that reducing the number of fires and limiting combustible material are prerequisites for safer communities and a more effective operational response. “By reducing the number of fires and limiting combustible material, we make our regions more resilient and the civil protection mechanism more effective,” he concluded.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of the Interior Vasilis Spanakis, the Secretary General for Civil Protection, Mr. Nikos Papaefstathiou, the Chief of the Fire Department, Lieutenant General Theodoros Vagias, the Deputy Chief of the Fire Department, Lieutenant General Anastasios Pappas, the Chief of Staff of the Fire Department, Lieutenant General Athanasios Balafas, the General Inspector of the South Aegean, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Briolas, the Head of the Fire Operations Branch, Major General Alexandros Mavraghanis; the Head of the Administrative Support Branch, Asterios Tsiourvas; the Attica Operations Coordinator, Major General Vikentios Marinakis, and the Commander of the Attica Regional Fire Services, Chief Fire Officer Vasileios Zafeiris.
Following the meeting, the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas, noted:
“Today we met with the Deputy Mayors for Civil Protection and the Civil Protection officials from the municipalities of Attica, specifically to review what they have done in the area of prevention, preventive measures on their part, as well as on the part of their residents, in light of the fire season we are currently experiencing, which we expect will become more challenging starting next week. So, we needed to address the issue of cleaning municipal areas as well as private lots, which residents are required to clear.
The extension was granted last week. This deadline expires on the 22nd of the month. Inspections will begin next Tuesday, and unfortunately, fines will be imposed, because we cannot grant another extension. The climate crisis won’t wait; it won’t give us another extension. So, everyone must adapt and complete their work by Monday, so that we can improve resilience, reduce risk, and be better prepared to face the challenges that the climate crisis will bring in the coming period.”
In turn, Deputy Minister of the Interior Vasilis Spanakis stated:
“Local government is on high alert and working in close coordination with the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and the Fire Department. Today we had the opportunity to discuss several issues in order to address the challenges of the wildfire season. Every wildfire season has its own characteristics. So today we discussed this year’s specific characteristics in detail, while with the relevant Deputy Mayors of the Attica municipalities, we discussed the characteristics of each region and the immediate actions we must take as the responsible ministries.
I am very pleased with the preparedness of local government, and I must thank the deputy mayors and mayors, as well as the Civil Protection staff and the local government as a whole for their preparedness. The clearing of plots must continue over the next few days. This is extremely important for addressing the unique challenges of this year’s fire season.”
