Greece Extends Deadline for Wildfire Lot Clearing Amid Rising Climate Concerns

13:41 25/4/2025 - Πηγή: Dikaiologitika

The Greek government has announced a 45-day extension for property owners to clear their plots of land ahead of the country’s wildfire season, in a move aimed at strengthening fire prevention efforts amid growing climate challenges.

The announcement came on Thursday

during Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ visit to the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection in Athens.

Deputy Minister Yiannis Kefalogiannis confirmed the extension, pushing the deadline from April 30 to June 15. He cited unfavorable weather conditions as a reason for the delay, emphasizing the importance of allowing more time for the necessary work to be completed. The extension grants landowners additional leeway to remove dry vegetation and debris that could fuel wildfires during the hot summer months.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis endorsed the decision, stressing the urgency of the situation. “It was the right move to extend the deadline until June 15,” he said, calling for a nationwide push to increase the number of clean-up operations. He described the effort as part of a collective response to a phenomenon that is becoming “increasingly difficult to manage,” referring to the intensifying impact of climate change on Greece's environment.

The new deadline follows growing calls from property owners’ associations, particularly POMIDA, which had warned that the original timeline was unworkable. Greece’s wildfire prevention rules require property owners—and in some cases, tenants—to clean their lots and file a declaration via the national gov.gr platform. Non-compliance carries a €1,000 fine, while false declarations are subject to harsher penalties, including up to two years in prison and fines of up to €54,000.

Once the new June 15 deadline passes, local municipalities will be authorized to step in and clear any neglected properties themselves. However, the cost of that work will be billed directly to the landowners.

Greece has faced increasingly severe wildfires in recent years, driven by rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and strong winds. The government is under mounting pressure to enforce preventive measures more effectively as it braces for what experts warn could be another dangerous fire season.

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