Greece will deploy a record 18,000 firefighting personnel and nearly double its drone fleet this summer in response to increasing wildfire risks driven by climate change, officials announced Thursday.
“It is clear that the conditions this year will be particularly difficult,” Greece’s Civil Protection Minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis said after observing a firefighting drill south of Athens.
The number of personnel marks a 20% increase over two years, with support from thousands of volunteers and 300 firefighters from EU countries.
Six McDermott Aviation B214 ST aircraft have also been deployed from Australia to Greece as part of the aerial firefighting fleet that will protect the islands as they face another season underpinned by hot, dry conditions.
Fire Chief Lt. Gen. Theodoros Vagias warned, “The climate crisis is here to stay, and we must be more effective in surveillance, preparedness, and how we mobilise our resources.”
Greece’s wildfire damage has tripled compared to the 2011–2020 average, with more than 1,745 square kilometres burned in 2023.
New strategies include advanced drone surveillance, mobile command centres, and joint drills with the coast guard and military.
Source: AP News
