A “warning” to Local Government by the Minister Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, denouncing serious delays in the absorption of funds for protection against wildfires.
The Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection denounced significant delays by certain municipalities in utilizing funds for fire protection measures, Evangelos Tournas, revealing that there is a municipality that has received funding amounting to 400,000 euros from the Ministry of the Interior, without having yet awarded the contract.
Speaking on Alpha Radio 98.9, Mr. Tournas emphasized that while several municipalities have cleared the areas under their jurisdiction and are supporting their residents in prevention efforts, there are also cases where the processes are moving at a slow pace, despite the available funding.
“Municipalities must make use of the funds they have received, either by awarding contracts or hiring seasonal staff, in order to form crews and carry out the necessary cleanup work,” he noted, adding that the ministry will closely monitor the progress of these efforts.
Referring to the deadline for cleanup and the declaration of vacant lots, the Minister noted that, according to this morning’s data, approximately 700,000 cleanups have been recorded, noting, however, that there are still many plots of land that need to be cleaned up.
As he emphasized, “prevention is not something that ends today. Prevention is our obligation throughout the year,” while stressing that cleanup efforts are a fundamental prerequisite for reducing risk and strengthening resilience against wildfires.
Mr. Tournas recalled that the government has implemented extensive prevention measures through the Antinero program, with total funding of 660 million euros over the past five years, while municipalities have also received financial support to implement preventive fire protection measures.
Regarding inspections, the Minister stated that the relevant framework will take effect starting tomorrow, with municipalities bearing primary responsibility, in cooperation with the fire departments. As he explained, particular emphasis will be placed on high-risk areas, both within the urban fabric and on its outskirts, in order to address dangerous sources of combustible material in a timely manner.
Mr. Tournas noted that municipalities have received significant funding for fire prevention and cleanup efforts, while emphasizing that these efforts must continue at an intensive pace even after the deadline has passed. As he stated, municipalities are called upon to utilize both the available funds and their crews to clear municipal and suburban areas, while the Ministry will closely monitor the progress of these efforts. “We will oversee this municipality by municipality,” he emphasized, noting that the government will continue to support municipal authorities with every available means to mitigate risks as the most demanding phase of the wildfire season approaches.
At the same time, he pointed out that the effort will continue even after the deadline has passed, emphasizing that “prevention does not end with the expiration of the deadline for clearing brush and the platform.”
The Minister stressed the need to keep plots of land clean throughout the summer, noting that “the obligation to clean up and maintain this appearance throughout the summer applies to the entire summer,” while emphasizing that the goal is to establish a new culture of prevention. “The point at this stage is for everyone to clean up, so that it becomes part of everyone’s culture that cleaning is the responsibility of us all,” he said.
Regarding operational readiness, Mr. Tournas noted that last weekend there were 83 wildfires, under conditions of high temperatures, strong winds, and particularly dry fuel. As he emphasized, the response mechanism was put to the test but responded effectively, as “the doctrine calling for maximum mobilization in the initial phase of every fire, in every incident, was fully implemented.”
The Minister explained that upon the reporting of any fire, ground and air forces are immediately mobilized, as well as all relevant agencies, to ensure the fastest possible response. He made special mention of the fire in Almyropotamos in Southern Euboea, where, as he said, thanks to the immediate and robust mobilization of forces, its spread was contained and neighboring settlements were protected.
Regarding the strengthening of the country’s operational capabilities, Mr. Tournas referred to the implementation of the AIGIS program and the gradual renewal of the aerial firefighting fleet. As he noted, three helicopters and three aerial surveillance and coordination aircraft have already been delivered, while the first two new Super Puma helicopters are expected to be delivered this fall, which will be used exclusively for wildland firefighting.
At the same time, he noted that a total of 80 aircraft will be deployed this year, depending on daily availability, of which 51 are leased, a fact that makes the Greek fleet one of the strongest in Europe for combating forest fires.
The Minister emphasized, however, that even the strongest mechanism has its limits when a large number of fires break out simultaneously. “Our goal is to reduce the number of fires so that the system can cope. It’s good, it’s strong, but under certain conditions it cannot respond as effectively,” he said.
In this context, he made special mention of measures to prevent and suppress arson, noting that the Fire Department’s investigative mechanisms have been significantly strengthened. Since the start of the fire season, 979 fires have been recorded, while 449 perpetrators have been identified and 111 arrests have been made under the procedure for offenses committed in flagrante delicto.
In closing, the Minister emphasized that the effectiveness of the mechanism depends largely on reducing the number of fires and on the cooperation of all relevant agencies and citizens, noting that prevention remains the most important line of defense against the risk of wildfires.
