Over 3,300 fires have been recorded by the Fire Brigade since the beginning of the year, as the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection said Yiannis Kefalogiannis.
Mr Kefalogiannis told ERT that so far there is a significant decrease in fires compared to last year. However, he noted that constant vigilance and compliance with civil protection guidelines is required.
Mr Kefalogiannis made a report on fire at Grammar, caused when a big bird fell on PPC lines. As he said, early mobilization and reinforced mechanism prevented it from spreading.
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Operational readiness
As far as business readiness is concerned, the minister noted that this year they are attempting 80-85 aerial means, of which 30-35 belong to the national fleet and the rest has been leased through the five -year contract with the company NSPA. He also pointed out the historical, as he said, increased staffing of Firefighter Body, which currently has 18,000 firefighters – 15,500 permanent and five years of obligation and 2,500 seasonal. In addition, some 5,000 volunteer firefighters and another 5,500 volunteers of Civil Protection are assisted. As he said, these numbers have been significantly increased not only compared to last year, but also over time in recent years.
In addition she talked about her reinforcement this year air surveillance Through the doubling of drones while particularly emphasizing the importance of prevention, referring to land cleaning. As he stated, this year more than 700,000 cleaning statements were submitted, a number particularly satisfactory, especially given that this year’s deadline was 45 days shorter than last year. He stressed that the responsibility for cleaning is collective – it concerns both the citizens and the municipalities, who this year received € 40m funding, more than twice as much as the two previous years, exclusively for civil protection actions.
The Minister underlined the need to use these funds for staff recruitment, equipment acquisition and audits. He recalled that municipalities are obliged to carry out inspections and the opportunity, based on the institutional framework, to proceed with ex officio cleaning and to impose fines on the owners, with the relevant expenditure returning to municipalities. At the same time, he pointed out, the link between funding with the effectiveness of municipalities in the exercise of their responsibilities is examined.
He also referred to the major institutional changes implemented this year compared to last year, focusing on its operation complaint platform of the Ministry. As he said, in 2024, only 55% of municipalities were connected to the platform, and this year, thanks to the cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, almost all municipalities participate. The complaints, he noted, registered on the platform are now controlled by the Fire Brigade.
‘Important is prevention’
The Minister also made the progress, as he said, in the coordination of the stakeholders and the importance of his daily monitoring. Risk Map, Emphasizing: “In terms of civil protection, the protocols and processes in the field are now clear. Civil protection is the one that coordinates all forces when a big fire breaks out. The Fire Brigade, the Greek Police, the Port Authority, the Municipalities and the Regions all have specific roles, “Mr Kefalogiannis noted. At the same time, he emphasized the need to change mentality: “The important thing is prevention. I think we need to change our way of thinking – as citizens, as a state, but also as organizations, “he said.
Answering questions about Fire Department officials, the minister pointed to the significant, he said, boosting the human resources, with an increase in permanent firefighters from 13,000 in 2019 to 15,500 today, and seasonal from 1,000 to 2,500. It also emphasized the extension of the seasonal firefighters’ employment period from 6 to 8 months, due to the increased duration of the firefighting season. Finally, he referred to the forthcoming bill to be passed next Wednesday, which will allow permanent positions to be staffed by seasonal and volunteer firefighters.
For the OPECEPE case
Concerning the OPEKEPE case, Mr Kefalogiannis stressed that the government would not stand in the way of any investigative procedure, separating the simple reference to names from the proven involvement. As he said: “We are waiting to see OPECEPE’s case file, which has not yet reached the House. Many times, from my experience as a criminologist, I know that there is a big difference between a witness reference and the substantial involvement of a person by the prosecutor’s or interrogation authority. ” He recalled that “abuses in subsidies are a timeless phenomenon, which has even led to even ministers.” He acknowledged that the institutional framework needs improvements, highlighting the importance of maintaining and rationalizing the subsidy system for agricultural production. Concerning the return of abusive subsidies paid, he clarified that in many cases the amounts are either refunded by the producers themselves or set off with future subsidies, in accordance with the current legal framework.
Concluding the interview, the minister said that a national target is fewer fires and greater protection of people, property and environment. “With plan, prevention, cooperation and responsibility, we can do it,” he concluded.