Greece is developing a doctrine to curb summer forest fires, but experts are already calling it insufficient
Kyiv • UNN
Greece is facing the threat of severe wildfires this summer, prompting the deployment of additional fire trucks, accelerated air support and forest clearing, but experts warn that these measures may not be enough to combat the increasing impact of climate change on wildfires.
As summer approaches, Greece is developing plans to contain damage from wildfires, including the deployment of additional fire trucks, accelerated air support and forest clearing. This was reported by UNN with reference to Reuters.
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This year, forest fires in Greece started earlier than expected. This included one fire in March in a mountainous area usually covered with snow.
It's going to be a very difficult wildfire season. Climate change is already here
Greece has taken steps to combat fires, including building firebreaks around power poles in forested areas and stepping up training.
70 forest fires have already been recorded in GreeceApril 9 2024, 06:28 AM • 37536 views
According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, about 700 additional forest rangers have been hired this year. Crews have cleared 12,000 hectares of forest, with another 7,000 hectares to be completed by the end of May.
For the first time in 50 years, we are entering forests and building fire protection zones. Of course, this will not be done all over Greece at once, but it is a good start
As part of the €2.1 billion plan, Greece has issued tenders for more than 1,000 fire trucks and seven DHC-515 aircraft, and plans to install smoke detectors.
Experts fear that this will not be enough.
Firebreaks were laid in a small part of the nearly 7.5 million hectares of Greek forests. Some of the trucks and airplanes tendered will not be delivered for years.
They said more money should be spent on building a corps of forest fire specialists who can map risks and analyze how fires can spread. They recommended the use of firefighting techniques used in other parts of the world, such as "backfiring," where firefighters start new fires in the path of existing ones to deprive them of fuel.
Greece clings to a doctrine that insists on firefighting instead of adopting an integrated fire management strategy
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Last year, intense heat caused forest fires in large areas of Portugal, France, Spain and Italy that claimed dozens of lives.
The situation is particularly difficult in Greece, where warm winters create ideal conditions for fires that threaten crops, homes and the thriving tourism industry.
Last August, a fire in the northern region of Euros destroyed an area larger than New York City and killed at least 20 people - the deadliest European fire of 2023.
Two hundred people evacuated in Spain due to forest firesApril 14 2024, 09:40 PM • 27128 views
