The number of fires in Greece has increased by 50% since May compared to the same period in 2023, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said on Monday, as the Mediterranean country experiences a particularly hot summer.
“Since the 1er “In May, firefighters had to deal with around 4,000 fires. This figure, compared to last year, already represents a 50% increase,” Pavlos Marinakis explained at a press briefing.
Two weeks after the fires that ravaged the north-east of Athens, the opposition’s criticism of the government’s handling of these natural disasters that recur every year continues to flow.
Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who went to the scene of the tragedy to announce aid for the victims, also had to face a demonstration by angry residents.
Fueled by strong winds, Greece’s worst wildfire of the year started on August 11 near the historic city of Marathon, 40 km northeast of the Greek capital. It ravaged about 10,000 hectares, destroying countless buildings and claiming the life of a woman in her sixties.
The government spokesman nevertheless insisted on the speed of reaction of civil protection “thanks to drones [de surveillance]with aircraft mobilized in five minutes, and ground resources in just seven minutes,” he said.
“We have more firefighters, more than 17,200 this year, more aircraft, which have gone from 61 to 90 in five years […] and we have 45 drones, 28 of which are in Attica [la région autour d’Athènes] “, detailed Mr. Marinakis.
In March, the Greek government also ordered seven new Canadair water bombers, the total cost of which is estimated at 400 million euros, part of which will be covered by European funds.
“The first planes should be delivered by the end of 2027,” recalled Mr. Marinakis.