The Fire Brigade is on heightened alert as the fire season officially begins on Monday 1 May, throughout the country. In this context, the Fire Brigade is strongly advising citizens to be particularly careful, avoid any outdoor activity that could cause a fire and consult local fire services. At the same time, the deadline for land clearances expires tomorrow (April 30), however, according to reports, many complaints are reaching the Fire Brigade about uncleaned plots, despite the fact that the municipalities are responsible for ensuring that the owners of the sites fulfil their obligation to clean up the land.
The strategic planning of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection is based this year on the doctrine of prevention and operational preparedness, based on the experience and lessons learned from last year's period so that the measures and policies implemented last year can be further improved. The planning will again be guided by the triptych «Prevention, Preparedness, Readiness» in combination with the immediate response to emergencies and the further strengthening of cooperation and coordination of all agencies. At the same time, there will be increased patrols by the Fire Brigade, ELAS and the General Staff on days with a high risk index (4 or 5).
«The lessons of the past show us that the most modern ground and air systems with the best trained firefighters in the world are not alone effective in stopping forest fires. The climate crisis calls for collective efforts to respond to natural disasters. It is our obligation to take the necessary fire protection measures in outdoor hot work. It is our obligation to keep our land and uncovered areas of our property clean throughout the fire season in accordance with the provisions of the new fire regulation 20/2023. This year, we are all asked to be more careful. The fire concerns us!’, stresses in a statement to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, the press spokesman of the PA, Pyrrarch Vassilios Vathrakogiannis.
Deadline for land clearances expires tomorrow - Complaints of gross land clearances
By tomorrow, the plots and other uncovered areas must be cleared by their owners according to the Fire Decree No. 20/2023, published in the Official Gazette on April 19, 2023 and signed by the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas. In fact, throughout the fire season, i.e. from May 1 to October 31, owners will have to maintain their land to prevent the risk of fire or its rapid expansion. The obligation to clean up includes plots of land and other uncovered areas located in areas within approved urban development plans, within the boundaries of settlements without an approved urban development plan, and now extends to areas located within a radius of 100 m from the boundaries of the above-mentioned areas.
However, it is noted that according to information, in recent days the Fire Department, has received many complaints about unclean plots, however, according to the new provision the municipalities are the ones who will have to ensure the fulfillment of the obligation of the owners to carry out cleanups in these areas from 1 to 30 April and maintain them throughout the fire season. In addition, the municipalities are also obliged to carry out regular or exceptional inspections (following a complaint or on their own initiative) throughout the fire season.
At the same time, it is stressed that, throughout the fire season, there will be increased surveillance by the Fire Department as extensive additional checks - patrols will be carried out to prevent the start and spread of fires. In addition, during the patrols it will be checked whether the mandatory fire protection measures are being complied with, especially in outdoor work. In the event of non-compliance, high administrative fines and heavy criminal penalties will be imposed.
Recommendations from the Fire Brigade to citizens in view of the start of the fire season
Strong recommendations to citizens to be particularly careful and avoid any outdoor activity that could cause a fire in view of the start of the fire season, the Fire Brigade is calling on them to consult the local Fire Services and stressing that the protection of human life and our natural wealth is everyone's business.
In particular, the Fire Brigade recommends that citizens:
- Be especially careful and avoid any outdoor activity that could cause a fire.
- Consult the local Fire Services on the prevention measures and the daily fire risk in case of outdoor work
- Monitor the information on forest fire prevention available on the website www.fireservice.gr and on the official accounts of the Fire Brigade, on Facebook and Twitter
- Search for instructions for self-protection from the dangers of forest fires on the website of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection at www.civilprotection.gr
In case you become aware of a fire:
- Immediately call 199 or 112 and give clear information about:
- the location and the exact spot where you are
- the exact location and direction of the fire
- the wind intensity in the area, and
- the type of vegetation burnt
- Leave the area immediately and follow the instructions of the competent authorities
- Facilitate access for firefighters
It is recalled that the fire season starts on 1 May and ends on 31 October.
Ioanna Kardara
