Greece is battling severe forest fires. The situation on the island of Rhodes is particularly bad. However burden Experts | the organization in the country. “The fire on Rhodes could have been extinguished in three days,” a forest scientist told a Greek newspaper.
Several extreme forest fires have been raging on Rhodes for over a week. Places had to be evacuated, around 19,000 tourists were taken to safety as a precaution. According to initial estimates by experts, around 150 square kilometers of forest and agricultural land have been destroyed so far. According to animal rights activists, numerous deer, turtles and other wild and farm animals fell victim to the flames. In the meantime, foreign emergency services are also helping with the extinguishing work, but the fire is still out of control.
Several forest scientists blame the fire brigade for the scale of the disaster. “In the first three days [Anm.d. Red.: nach Ausbruch des Feuers] “There was almost no wind on Rhodes, the fire should have been put out,” Ilias Apostolidis told Kathimerini newspaper. He is a forest scientist and co-founder of the research company Yli, which coordinated studies to restore Euboea’s forest after a devastating fire in August 2021.
“In the evening, the fire brigade should have acted at the border of the fire areas to separate the burned from the unburned. Instead, these areas were left as they were and the fire reignited,” Apostolidis criticized the daily. “The fire brigade has failed. As soon as three or four fires ignite at once, they are paralyzed,” he notes. The firefighters only checked when the fire-fighting planes were coming. They had no plan and did not go into the forest for fear of the fire.
The forest scientist continues: “They drive people out from everywhere, including those who can help. On the occasion of Euboea, we had suggested that the authorities visit the villages, record how many elderly people there are and how many can stay, to set up a fire zone and cut with chainsaws where they are told.” There are villages on Rhodes that are familiar with forests and fires. For example in Apollona, where a fireproof strip was built and the village was saved. Apostolidis demands that the fire brigade should involve the foresters in fighting forest fires. “All strengths must be used.”
Experts criticize the organization of the Greek authorities
Yannis Mitsopoulos, assistant professor of forestry at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and general director of the Agency for the Natural Environment, also sees the problem in organization and planning. “Fires have to be fought in the first half hour,” says the expert, who was a member of the “Goldammer” committee, “Kathimerini”. Named after its leader, the Freiburg fire ecologist Johann Georg Goldammer, it was launched after the forest fire in Mati near Athens in 2018 that killed more than 100 people. The forest experts should investigate the severe fire disaster.
Mitsopoulos commemorates the 1997 fires at Kassandra, the first foot of Halkidiki peninsula. At that time there were 187 fires, but no more than 5,000 hectares were burned. The fire brigade prevented the fire from spreading in good time. He did not provide any further information on how exactly she should have done this at the time. A year later, Halkidiki’s second foot was half burned, although there were only two fires. “No matter how many planes you have, no matter how many fire engines you have, if the fire gets big, it won’t stop until everything is burned,” Mitsopoulos explains. Referring to the responsible authorities, he says: “We need a service with a plan and not more firefighting planes.”
The forester Giorgos Eftychidis, also a member of the Yellowhammer Committee, also sees politics as a duty. “In the face of climate change, if we don’t focus on managing the forest, if we don’t provide stable funding and if we don’t come up with a 10-year plan, nothing will change.” It’s like having a building with a structural problem and instead of thinking about how to support it, you paint it, tidy up the garden and swap out the outlets. “‘Police logic’ in dealing with fires is ineffective.”
Rhodes and Corfu
Forest fires in Greece: when the holiday paradise turns into flaming hell
Meanwhile, investigations and investigations into the causes that led to the Rhodes fires began. In addition, the public prosecutor’s office is investigating whether the management of the fire brigade acted correctly when the fire was even smaller.
Rhodes: Fire brigade “needs urgent help”
Of the area burned so far on Rhodes, around 2,800 hectares are in four Natura protection areas and 13,700 hectares in two game reserves. According to Dodecanese forests director Kaiti Balatsouka, parts of an area growing seeds used to replant pine trees native to Rhodes are also affected. There is also a fire in the southern part of the island, the main natural habitat of a native deer species. According to a last count, the animals came to 6500 pieces. In the past few days, images of dead deer, believed to have been killed by the fire, have been circulating online. Greek media reported that surviving animals are now in the cities foraging for food and water.
Meanwhile, the heat wave in Greece, which has been going on for around two weeks, is continuing. Temperatures of sometimes over 40 degrees, drought and strong winds make extinguishing work difficult and fuel fires again and again. In addition to Rhodes, there is also a severe forest fire in the north-east of Corfu. The Greek fire brigade warns of an “extreme” or “very high risk of fire” in many areas of the country for tomorrow, Wednesday. “We are experiencing what may be the toughest days of summer and temperatures are continuing to rise,” it said. In view of the numerous fires that have been raging in the country for days, almost a dozen EU countries, including France, Poland and Italy, as well as other European countries, have sent aid to Greece. Firefighters from Serbia are expected on Tuesday evening.
Temperatures are expected to rise again to 46 degrees on Wednesday. “We urgently need help, otherwise the south of the island will burn down completely by tomorrow,” the German press agency quoted a firefighter on Rhodes as saying.
Sources: “Kathimerini“, Greek Fire Brigade, EMY, Copernicuswith material from the DPA