The large fire in Dadia of Evros has been brought under control after burning thousands of hectares of forest, but fire and civil protection ground forces remain on alert to prevent possible rekindling.

There is no longer an active fire in the entire forest area, but the extent of the area that has burned and the intensity of the wind forces the firefighting forces to be on constant vigilance.

Fire engines were also today positioned in key parts of the forest, near fire zones and at road intersections, with their crews ready to intervene in any direction to prevent the fire from rekindling.

The change in weather did not affect the Evros law, which was still sunny today, so the fire was contained thanks to the efforts of the fire brigade and civil protection, after it caused quite a large destruction to the forest fabric.

The mayor of Soufli Panagiotis Kalakikos points out that the firefighting forces did not find the weather an ally, since “it did not drop a single drop all these days from the beginning of the fire“, in contrast to the many rains that occurred today, in several areas in Northern Greece. Whether it was for bad, or for good, it is difficult to say, since in the state in which the forest is now, a heavy rain might have created additional problems.

Burnt logs would be very difficult to hold soil and fallen seed in the forest.

A strong storm, at this stage when all the fronts were extinguished, could potentially “wash” the mountain, bringing soil into settlements and limiting hopes for future natural regeneration of the forest.

The inhabitants of the villages and of Soufli have returned to their occupations. In a new landscape, however, as a large part of the population makes a living from the forest.

“Fortunately we have no fires today, but the population is facing problems, some production units have been affected, but also some second homes. The recording of the damages has started and we hope that with the help of the state we will be able to recover as soon as possible ” emphasized the mayor of Soufli, Panagiotis Kalakikos, who in the previous days was in constant communication with agencies and officials for the coordination of actions.

The settlement of Dadia has not been affected in general, nor has Lefkimmi. Firefighters managed to contain the flames before they reached the villages.

Around Kotronia – in the small core of the forest that was most recently affected – there is a large area that has been burned on both sides of the ravine and on the mountain slopes.

Throughout this zone some corrals and huts, along with some vehicles and farm machinery, have been destroyed. In places where there used to be facilities for livestock, one can see scattered sheet metal and metal objects and among the decaying traces of wooden tools. It is comforting, however, that in some corrals – or at least in what is left of them, productive animals, cows and sheep, which their owners had taken care to remove and move to safe areas, before the fire got there, have returned.

The forest around the settlements of Dadia has burned, although a significant part of it was saved. The picture after the fire is mixed.

The opposite direction of the fire, due to the change in the direction of the winds, troubled the firefighting forces for many days, returning again and again to the same places and burning large areas, but it also passed in other places, leaving almost intact clusters of trees. Some parts of the forest that have suffered less damage from the flames. It is typical that in many cases, the fire simply “scorched” the trunks, leaving the branches and leaves intact, and at other times it passed under the trees, burning the pine needles and lower branches.

The forest, a wonderful complex of oak and black pine, seems to have withstood it in some places and now only time will tell what will happen in the future. Estimates are still difficult to make, since, according to experts’ estimates, another year is needed to determine in which places there can be natural regeneration of the forest, and then artificial reforestation actions can be undertaken, since in the meantime log nets and terraces have been created for they will keep the soil and the seed in the forest.

The fire found the population of rare predators living in Dadia, fortunately, after their breeding season. The black vulture is one of the species that reproduces more slowly, in the summer, than other birds. Therefore, it is estimated that his chicks this year were able to fly and survive. Some birds, mainly migratory birds that use Dadia as a stopover, have already left for other areas. Endemics such as the black vulture will likely continue to be in the same area and fly over and around the forest. Time will tell if the same species find time to set up their nests in the forest again and in which areas until the spring when it will be seen that there will be natural regrowth and the ability to feed and survive.

But it is not only the forest that has burned and the wild fauna that has been affected. The fire also passed through arable lands on the edges of the forest and through animal production facilities, causing damage.

“What is needed now is a comprehensive strategic plan to restore beekeeping, animal husbandry and olive growing and of course the forest wealth, which has been affected” pointed out the deputy governor of Evros, Dimitris Petrovich.

In this direction, it is estimated that towards the end of the week, autopsies will be carried out on the burned lands in order to more accurately calculate the damages, in order to formulate a more specialized intervention plan in the forest and in the fire-affected areas.