In the flare-ups that occurred in the area of ​​the settlement of Aura and Cassiters which have been evacuated and on the fire fronts in Lefkimi where an evacuation instruction has also been issued.

In Treis Vryses and Dadia extinguishing forces are concentrated today.

Winds are still blowing from the northeast against the fire, which is proving to be particularly difficult to contain.

In Evros today, 295 firefighters with 85 vehicles, 16 groups of infantry departments are operating with the aerial assistance of seven firefighting aircraft and five firefighting helicopters.

In the characteristics and particularity of the fire in Evros, the firefighting forces that operate and their further reinforcement if deemed necessary, the operational coordination of all the agencies involved in the extinguishing effort, the investigation in a second time of the causes of the occurrence of the catastrophic phenomenon and also in the required the day after the fire, restoration works, stated the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilias, in his statements from Alexandroupolis airport.

“Indeed we are talking about a very large perimeter in which two fires joined, of Alexandroupoli and Dadia and in which perimeter our forces are operating” said Mr. Kikilias after the flight he made with Super Puma over the affected area.

The Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection assured that in the context of the effort to control the fire and in the coming days there will be further reinforcement with air and ground forces despite the fact, as he said, that a very large part of the Fire Brigade’s forces are already operating in Evros , ground and air.

He noted that the causes of the event and of the specific fire will be investigated, as is the case with all major fires in the country, while the operational evaluation of its response will also follow.

Today, a total of 5 CL-215 firefighting aircraft, 5 CL-415 firefighting aircraft, 15 PZL firefighting aircraft and 3 CHINOOK helicopters operate on the active fronts of the fires in Alexandroupolis – Dadia, ‘Andros and Messinia.

They also operate and have been allocated:

In the wider area of ​​Alexandroupolis-Dadia:

● 90 people of the “XENOKRATIS” Scheme,

● 2 Teams of the “DEFKALIA” plan of 10 people.

● 8 Land Boosters, Levelers and Loaders to create fire zones,

● General Purpose Vehicles,

In Phyli – Parnitha Attica:

● 2 Earth Boosters to create fire zones,

● General Purpose Vehicles.

As part of the assistance of the Armed Forces in the prevention of fires, the following have been allocated today:

– 738 people with 369 vehicles vehicles for land surveillance patrols and

– 42 people with 21 vehicles to patrol areas.

The orders of the Head of GEETHA are still valid for:

● 70 surveillance patrols in 3 eight-hour shifts (420 people) in addition to those foreseen in the Attikovoiotia region,

● Patrols to secure military installations from 5 – 10 kilometers around them throughout the territory,

● Additional patrols to control routes in the mountainous areas of Evros and Rhodope, by personnel of the 5th Commando Squadron,

● Increased readiness of military hospitals and Health units.

2 hours readiness is maintained for all sections of the “XENOKRATIS” plan,

All available machinery is kept loaded on tank carriers, with their drivers and operators located in camps for immediate mission execution, if required.

All the means – machines of the Armed Forces are still ready for disposal, following the instructions of the Civil Protection.

Every day, 12,500 members of the Armed Forces are involved in the fire prevention and extinguishing operations throughout the territory (s.p. the number refers to the participation of personnel in any way in the operations in question, for example surveillance patrols from 5-10 km in total of the military installations in the territory, the technical staff for the maintenance of aircraft and helicopters, the machinery staff.