This year’s report is positive fire seasonas seen from his official data Ministry of Civil Protectionthat leads to “K” in the spotlight. So this year, based on the official count of the fire season, which usually ended on October 31st, the amount of burned area is significantly smaller compared to the catastrophic last year. Evolution is associated with more favorable weather and climate conditions and improvement of the mechanism for overcoming Forest fires.

From the beginning of the year to October 31, there were 9245 fires. This is 3.1% more than the average for the last 15 years (8,958). However, despite even a slight increase in incidents, Fire Department, the area of ​​the burnt territory is much less compared to the past. In 2022, 238,382 acres were burned, with the average area of ​​forest burned over the past 15 years exceeding 500,000 acres. This is a decrease of 52.4%. For forest land, the reduction exceeds 62%.

EFFIS data

An investigation into the Penteli fire in July, which burned more than 25,000 acres of forest and caused property damage to at least 54 homes, remains open.

The numerical data of the European forest fire registration system are slightly different (European Forest Fire System – EFFIS), with the general conclusion that 2022 was a better year than last year. Thus, according to EFFIS, 53 serious forest fires were registered in 2022, and 208,000 hectares were burned to the ground. In 2021, respectively, 84 serious incidents were recorded, and burned land amounted to 1.3 million acres, however, in both 2020 and 2019, burned areas did not exceed 150,000 acres.

Among the initiatives taken this year by Civil Protection, which may have borne fruit, was the formation Special Forestry Units (EMODE)which in a number of cases were used as immediate intervention units, a pilot implementation of a pre-installation program, with the preventive installation of European firefighters in the country, while ministry officials also talk about improving cooperation between all relevant authorities (Fire Service, Local Government, Forest Service, etc.). ).

Meanwhile, the investigation into the fire on July 19, 2022 in Penteli, which burned more than 25,000 hectares of forest and caused material damage to at least 54 houses, remains open. A senior official from the Ministry of Civil Protection told K that Arson Enforcement Administration (DAEE) which is responsible for the investigation did not reach final conclusions about the causes of the large fire. However, some information from the fire department is said to suggest that power pylons were also responsible for the disaster.

Initially, even high-ranking officials, through their public statements, created the opinion that the fire was the work of arsonists. Later, other information left open the possibility that the fire was due to negligence and started with the beekeeper smoking his bees. Ultimately, as follows from information “K”Fire officials reportedly concluded that the starting point of the fire was in a different location than originally thought. In addition, it was found that it was from this point, east of the Pentelis children’s hospital, that a high-voltage power line pole passes. An expert who, in addition to the fire department, is conducting a parallel investigation into the causes of the fire, declined to answer questions. “K” questions.