Greece Boosts Wildfire Readiness in Central Macedonia

10:50 25/4/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

As the fire season approaches, Greece is intensifying its wildfire preparedness efforts in Central Macedonia, with Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Yiannis Kefalogiannis leading a high-level coordination meeting.

The meeting brought together members of parliament from Thessaloniki,

Pieria, and Serres, top government officials, fire service leadership, local authorities, and representatives from the military, police, and volunteer organizations.

Mr. Kefalogiannis outlined the national and regional strategy, emphasizing significant increases in firefighting forces, drone deployment, and volunteer participation compared to the previous year.

“In Central Macedonia, we will have nearly double the number of drones and a significantly strengthened firefighting force, both permanent and seasonal,” Mr. Kefalogiannis stated. “We are entering this wildfire season with the best conditions possible — though this doesn’t mean the challenges ahead should be underestimated.”

He referenced earlier announcements made with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, noting a nationwide deployment of 80 drones, up from 45 in 2023, and 18,000 firefighters, a 20% increase in seasonal personnel.

Additionally, over 10,000 volunteers will support fire prevention and response across the country.

Mr. Kefalogiannis highlighted Greece’s largest-ever investment in fire prevention infrastructure, citing the AntiNero III program, which has allocated €114 million over four years in Central Macedonia alone for the creation of firebreaks and forest maintenance.

He also noted that municipal funding for property clearing has doubled, reaching €40 million this year.

“We are, for the first time, conducting large-scale forest cleaning and firebreak construction projects,” he said, “backed by stronger coordination with local authorities.”

Deputy Interior Minister Kostas Gioulekas also addressed the meeting, stressing the need for regional coordination.

“We’re bringing together all forces to identify vulnerabilities and strategically allocate resources. We need to know which municipality has which tools, so we can assist neighboring areas in case of an emergency.”

Mr. Gioulekas announced that similar regional meetings will follow in Kozani for Western Macedonia and in Komotini for Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, noting that this decentralized approach replaces last year’s single Macedonia-Thrace-wide session.

“From fire trucks to bulldozers and water tankers, we must be ready to move assets where needed,” he said. “We hope for a quiet season — but experience and climate change tell us to prepare for the worst.”

He also confirmed that a specialized military unit remains on standby to respond to emergencies, as part of a broader national disaster response framework.

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