For the seventh day, the fire in the Dadia forest in Evros continues to rage, having already reduced more than 34,000 acres of forest to ashes and causing incalculable ecological damage. This area corresponds to approximately 12% of the Natura 2000 protected area.
According to press officer of the fire department, Yiannis Artopios, there is an active front in the southwest of the Dadia forest, while the situation is under control on the other fire fronts.
In addition, he spoke of partial spread towards the fire station of Lefkimmi, adding that the constant changes in wind direction are making the firefighting efforts difficult. The difficult access to the dense forest of Dadia is another obstacle for the ground firefighting forces.
For his part, the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park Authority Professor Kostas Poirazidis, reports that «the fire has spread and there is an immediate risk that it will enter zone A from the fire station and return to Dadia.».
Mr. Poirazidis in dramatic tones warns that: «The entire park will be destroyed. Anyone who sees this should inform those who make the decisions. Immediate intervention is needed with all available aircraft. NOW.
Based on a recent high-resolution image taken by the Sentinel 2 satellite on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, which was retrieved and processed by the FLAME pyrometeorological team of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) / meteo.gr,2022, which was retrieved and processed by the FLAME pyrometeorological team of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) / meteo.gr, The estimated area affected so far (as of 26.07.2022 at 12:10) by the forest fire in Dadia, Evros, is approximately 34,105 acres. This area corresponds to approximately 12% of the Natura 2000 protected area. The satellite image also shows the active fire spots at the time of the satellite's passage, in the southwest of the perimeter (fire head).
In addition, the fire meteorology team at the National Observatory reports that the atmospheric conditions prevailing in the area are characterized by instability that favors the formation of «shallow» fire clouds (pyrocumulus clouds). The data currently available indicate that The fire in Dadia has developed an induction column and has become «self-propelled.».
Based on the FLAME team's predictions, From the early hours of Wednesday, July 27 (8:00/9:00 a.m.), a further deterioration in fire weather conditions is expected. as high temperatures are expected, a drop in the moisture content of dead forest fuel (6-8 %) and an increase in winds to 2-3 Beaufort from NE directions in general. At the same time, conditions favorable for the development of an induction column and the formation of fire clouds are expected to prevail again at midday on Wednesday if the fire continues to burn intensely.
The general director of OFYPE.KA (Organization for the Natural Environment and Climate Change), Yannis Mitsopoulos He pointed out to MEGA that the destruction of the forest is incalculable, many acres of natural wealth have been reduced to ashes, and the nests of rare species of birds of prey have been destroyed.
«The fire will take a few more days to extinguish. The area is difficult to access, and aerial resources are struggling because the water they drop is being held back and not falling to the ground due to the dense vegetation. Most of it spreads on the ground. Three-quarters of the water from the aircraft is retained and does not fall to the ground,» he said initially.
Response to the «blue» barbs regarding WWF's responsibilities
At the same time, it seems that Local officials make pointed remarks about WWF's responsibilities, the Management Agency, and «dogmatic ecologists» for not creating firebreaks in the national park earlier.
Speaking on Maximum FM, Kostas Poirazidis emphasized that «It is completely untrue that WWF prevented the creation of firebreaks. and cleaning up the forest.» «On the contrary, the organization has drafted (since the 1990s!) a study for the creation of zones in the forest, which, however, was never properly funded, as was the case with the plans for the creation of reservoirs within the National Park, which also remained on paper due to state indifference. ’Let's put an end to this lie that the WWF does not allow it. We were waiting for the project to be included in a funding program, we had studies for reservoirs everywhere, and they remained on paper,« he noted.
«The responsibilities of government MPs on the issue of abolishing the Management Bodies in Dadia, Delta, and the rest of Greece. With this abolition, as Mr. Poirazidis noted, local bodies were excluded from the Management Bodies» administrative councils and replaced by... Athenians! Another crime that is currently underway and for which local MPs will also bear enormous responsibility is the bill on changes to NATURA areas. According to Mr. Poirazidis, wind farms and other activities may have been permitted before, but now there is an effort to allow business projects even within strictly protected areas, for the benefit of certain interests, as he characteristically said.
