He is on high alert. Fire brigade as the fire season officially starts on Monday, May 1 nationwide.

In this regard, the fire department strongly advises citizens to be especially careful and avoid any outdoor activity that can lead to fire and check with local firefighters. At the same time, tomorrow (April 30) is the deadline for cleaning the sites, however, according to information, the fire department receives many complaints about rough sites, despite the fact that the owners of municipalities have places to take care of the cleaning obligation.

The strategic planning of the Ministry of Climate Crises and Civil Protection this year is again based on the doctrine of prevention and operational readiness, guided by the experience and lessons learned from the past year, so that measures and policies implemented last year can be further improved. The Planning Guide this year will once again be a tripartite Prevent, Prepare, Prepare, combined with immediate response to emergencies, as well as further strengthening of cooperation and coordination between all departments: the fire brigade, the armed forces, the Greek police, the coast guard. , EKAV, Forest Services, Local Government and Volunteers. At the same time, the fire brigade, ELAS and GEETHA will patrol heavily on days with a high risk index (4 or 5).

“Lessons from the past show us that the most advanced ground and air systems, with the best trained firefighters in the world, are by themselves ineffective in fighting forest fires. The climate crisis requires a collective effort to deal with natural disasters. We are required to take the necessary fire protection measures when carrying out hot work outdoors. We are required to keep our apartments and outdoor areas clean throughout the fire season in accordance with the provisions of the new Fire Ordinance 20/2023. This year we are all called to be more careful. The fire is touching us!” PS spokesman, Chief of Staff Vassilios Vatrakogiannis stressed in a statement to the Athens Macedonian News Agency.

Tomorrow is the cleanup deadline

By tomorrow, the sites and other open areas must be cleared by their owners in accordance with order no. 20/2023 Fire regulation published in the Official Gazette on April 19, 2023 and signed by the Deputy Minister for Climate Crises and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas. In fact, during the entire fire season, that is, from May 1 to October 31, owners must maintain their sites to prevent the risk of a fire or its rapid spread. Cleanup duties include land and other uncleaned areas located in areas within approved beautification plans, within the boundaries of settlements without an approved beautification plan, and now it extends to areas located within a radius of 100 m from the boundaries of settlements. the above areas.

However, it should be noted that according to the information, over the past few days, the fire department has received many complaints about gross land, however, according to the new regulation, it is the municipalities that must ensure that the requirements of the owners are met. Obligation to carry out cleaning in the specified territories from April 1 to April 30, as well as to maintain them throughout the fire season. In addition, municipalities are required to carry out regular or extraordinary inspections (upon filing a complaint or ex officio) throughout the entire fire season.

At the same time, it is emphasized that during the entire fire season, supervision by the fire department will be strengthened, as extended additional control will be carried out – patrols to prevent the occurrence and spread of fires. In addition, during the patrol, compliance with mandatory fire protection measures will be checked, mainly during outdoor work. In case of non-compliance with the provisions, high administrative fines will be imposed, as well as severe criminal penalties.

Fire protection advice to citizens

Strong advice to citizens to be especially careful and avoid any outdoor activity that could lead to a fire due to the start of the fire season, the fire department appeals, while urging them to consult with local fire services and emphasizing that the protection of human life and our natural resources is everyone’s business.

In particular, the Fire Service recommends that citizens:

· Take extra care to avoid any outdoor activity that could start a fire.

· Consult with local fire departments regarding preventive measures and daily fire risk in the event of field work.

· Follow the information on forest fire prevention posted on the website www.fireservice.gr and on the official accounts of the fire department, on Facebook and Twitter

· Instructions for self-protection against the dangers of forest fires can be found on the website of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection at www.civilprotection.gr.

If you notice a fire:

Call 199 or 112 IMMEDIATELY with clear information about:

– your location and exact location

– exact location and direction of fire

– wind intensity in the area and

– type of vegetation burned

Leave the area immediately and strictly follow the instructions of the competent authorities

Facilitate fire brigade access

Recall that the fire season begins on May 1 and ends on October 31.

^{Source: APE-MEB}