Greece’s Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, held an urgent press conference to address the devastating forest fires that have been plaguing the country for the past 15 days. Alongside him were key figures, including Professor Christos Zerefos from the Academy of Athens, Lieutenant General Georgios Pournaras from the Fire Brigade, and Evangelos Guduffa from the General Directorate of Forests and Forest Environment of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
Opening the conference, Minister Kikilias emphasized that the situation had been critical for nearly two weeks, with more than 600 fires breaking out in the country during that time. However, he shared a glimmer of hope, stating that the current day marked the first instance where they were not on high alert, though they remained in a state of heightened readiness. During his speech, he paid tribute to the two pilots who lost their lives while bravely fighting the fires in Karystos.
The minister spoke passionately about the courage and sacrifice displayed by everyone involved in battling the fires, from the firefighters to the residents and volunteers who selflessly joined the efforts.
Highlighting the severity of the situation, Minister Kikilias pointed out that a staggering 667 fires had ignited in just over two weeks, averaging over 60 fires per day. He noted that the majority of these incidents were due to either criminal negligence or intentional acts of arson, further emphasizing the unprecedented weather conditions that exacerbated the crisis.
Drawing attention to the gravity of the climate crisis, the minister expressed concern over the historically unprecedented heatwave that had gripped the country. He mentioned that such extreme heat combined with strong winds had not been seen since 2003, leading to an alarming number of regions being categorized as very high-risk fire zones for five consecutive days.
Despite the efforts of the Fire Department, Minister Kikilias acknowledged that certain fires had grown uncontrollably, pushing everyone’s limits, especially those of the affected residents. The total area burned reached a staggering 400,000 acres, nearing the annual average for Greece of 500,000 acres.
Addressing potential criticism, the minister asserted that they had done their utmost given the circumstances but admitted the operational difficulties were immense. He emphasized that they were not shying away from reality and were confronting the situation head-on.
The gravity of the fires was further underscored by the fact that a firestorm had engulfed a 200-meter zone, while fire tornadoes with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius posed additional challenges for the firefighting teams.
In conclusion, Minister Kikilias reiterated the unwavering determination of all involved to continue the fight against the devastating fires, vowing to learn from the experience and take necessary measures to strengthen their response to future crises.