Greek PM warns of dangerous summer of forest fires

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday that his country was facing a dangerous summer for forest fires, with prolonged drought and unusually strong winds contributing to conditions conducive to the blazes.

Forest fires are common in the eastern Mediterranean country, but warmer, drier and windier weather, which scientists attribute to the effects of climate change, has contributed to an increase in the frequency and intensity of the fires.

Dozens of fires have broken out across Greece this weekend, including two near the capital, Athens. More than 100 firefighters, aided by 11 planes and five helicopters, were trying to put out the blazes on the islands of Kos and Chios on Monday.

“This summer is likely to be particularly dangerous… The hardest times are yet to come,” Mitsotakis told his cabinet. “We had a very difficult June in terms of weather conditions with high drought and unusually strong winds for this time of year,” he said, praising firefighters for containing the weekend fires.

Mitsotakis said the two fires had burned less than 100,000 square meters of land, with damage limited by the response of state emergency services and the use of drones to survey forest areas. Greece has ramped up preparations this year, hiring more workers and increasing training, after forest fires last year forced 19,000 people to flee the island of Rhodes and killed 20 people in the north of the country.

Greece is already using technology, including drones and data transmitters, to pinpoint fires early, according to a government spokesman.

The country now plans to increase the number of unmanned aerial vehicles to 35 systems and increase the number of trained drone operators from 104 to 139. “Our arsenal can be stronger, but nothing – and this is seen in practice – will beat the preparedness and involvement of society in this collective defense against natural hazards,” Mitsotakis said.