2024-07-08 09:17:37
“We have 25 drones with 25 operations centers flying over Ymittos, Parnitha and Penteli, Villas and wherever needed 24 hours a day,” said Vassilis Kikilias
“It will be the most difficult fire fighting period of the last 20 years,” repeated the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias.
“Nevertheless, you know, we’ve worked very hard throughout the winter and spring, primarily in terms of prevention. The 560,000 cleared plots that we have reached to date is a huge legacy compared to last year, because you understand that the fire does not run on the cleared plots, people’s properties are not destroyed and houses are not burned in the cleared surrounding area. However, where there are two meters of grass, this is a “silk warehouse”” he characteristically said, speaking to SKAI.
Regarding the new doctrine for dealing with forest fires, which has as its main axes the mobilization of aerial and reinforced ground firefighting forces from the first moment the fire starts, but also the synergy of all involved bodies in the field, the minister emphasized: “Now in forest fires, the aerial ones with the drones seeing smoke.
We’re not waiting for a fire department or a volunteer or a fireman to arrive and confirm her. They rise at the command of the Chief from the first second. Although if it is a false alarm or the ground forces manage to “collect” the fire in the 20 minutes it takes an aerial to take off, we cancel the takeoff. If he has already taken off he does a soak and a patrol.
Mandatory in the field are the foresters together with the firefighters, there are also the volunteers, there are also the police for the evacuations, there are also the Armed Forces and the Local Self-Government with water and earthmoving machines.
We are all fighting and trying together, and of course mistakes will be made. And it is obvious that we cannot prevent them all, there is no such case with so many starts” said Mr. Kikilias, underlining that in June 2023, we had 533 fire starts, while this June there were 1,281.
Regarding the use of drones, he pointed out that they have a decisive role in the early detection of fires, resulting in the very quick mobilization of the fire brigade and greatly increasing the chances of dealing with a fire at an early stage.
“We have 25 drones with 25 operations centers that fly over Ymittos, Parnitha and Penteli, Villas and wherever needed 24 hours a day, they see with infrared and at night, they have thermal cameras, they calculate the coordinates and they give us an early an incident that in other times would unfortunately have been seen later, by a fireman, a citizen, a soldier. It’s a big advantage. This extends outside of Attica, a drone has already entered Karysto in southern Evia where we always have fires,” said Mr. Kikilias.
Referring to the superhuman efforts of the firefighters and the fierce battles they are fighting with the flames, he said: “I declare to you on behalf of the Greek firefighters that they give their souls and hearts every day and I am sincerely happy for these people who are fighting and Greek society recognizes this year’s effort”.
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