Greece is expecting a difficult summer, with heat waves, droughts and strong winds, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Yiannis Kefalogiannis said in an interview with ERTnews referring to the fire season that started on May 1.
The minister pointed out that, despite the fact that we had more rain this year, the country is expecting a difficult summer, with heat waves, droughts and strong winds, citing the large number of fires in March (over 1,365). Kefalogiannis underlined the historically largest staffing of the Fire Brigade, which numbers 18,000 men and women, including 2,500 seasonal firefighters recruited in the coming days, as well as the valuable contribution of 10,500 volunteers. He pointed out that the strengthening of human resources and investments in firefighting aircraft as well as new technologies are critical for effective risk response.
The minister referred to the availability of 80-85 owned and leased aircraft and helicopters. He referred to the number of surveillance drones that have increased to 82 and cover the entire territory, constantly providing data to the National Coordination Centre of Operations. He also noted that drones, equipped with thermal cameras, will be deployed in high-risk areas such as Attica, Crete, the Peloponnese and the Ionian islands.
Regarding prevention, he stressed the criticality of cleaning up the plots. As he explained, "it is an obligation to ourselves, our neighbours and the environment, as by cleaning up we significantly reduce the chances of a fire starting and spreading".