In mandatory declaration of cleaning of the plots this year, for the first time, their owners are asked to proceed after the establishment of the “Preventive Property Fire Protection Measures Compliance Register”. The National Register of Adherence to Preventive Fire Protection Measures for Properties, which was a regulation of the bill of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, aims to record the obligations of citizens during the fire season and the observance of preventive fire protection measures. The reasoning behind the establishment of the registry was to carry out “smart” checks, as well as to make citizens aware of the need and obligation to clean their plots every year as a preventive measure for the fire season.

For this reason, the Ministry of Digital Governance created a special digital platform with the title “Gross Plots” at the online address akatharista.apps.gov.gr. Although the final date for the declaration of land clearing was exceptionally for the first year of operation of the register May 31st, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection decided to extend it until June 30th. At the same time the clearing of the plots and uncovered areas should have been completed by April 30, while the platform was made available to the public this week, which has brought the plot owners to face many difficulties and delays. At the same time, the owners also react to the harsh fines that have been set in case of non-compliance, which amount to 1,000 to 54,000 euros, while they are also threatened with two years in prison.

Through the platform, citizens will have the possibility to submit an application for the cleaning of their plot, as well as to proceed with a complaint about gross plots. At the same time, through the platform, the municipalities will be able to register the inspections they have carried out as well as the plots of land to be inspected by them.

According to the no. 20/2024 Fire Regulation “Definition of preventive fire protection measures for plots of land and other uncovered areas located in areas within approved land-use plans, within the boundaries of settlements without an approved land-use plan, in areas located within a radius of 100 m from the boundaries of the above areas, as well as in unplanned fields with buildings” which was issued at the beginning of May, determines the obligation of the owners, prefectures, usufructuary, tenants or sub-tenants of plots of land and other uncovered areas located in:

(a) areas within approved zoning plans,

(b) areas within settlement boundaries without an approved street plan,

(c) lands located within a radius of 100 m from the limits of the above c. (a) and (b), after informing the competent forestry service and

(d) off-plan pitches with buildings, for the areas not subject to the provisions of the forestry legislation, in accordance with the forest map of the area and after informing the competent forestry service,

for the cleaning of the above premises during the period from April 1st to 30th of each year and their maintenance throughout the fire season, i.e. from May 1st to October 31st, to prevent the risk of fire or its rapid spread .

Landscaped, maintained gardens or planted surfaces of uncovered areas of buildings, apartment buildings, etc. are excluded from this obligation. of the regions and lands mentioned above.

Regarding the cleaning process, this includes the following:

– Logging and removal of dry and broken trees and branches, as well as branches that are in direct contact with buildings.

– Removal of combustible plant material on the surface of the ground such as leaf litter, dry grasses and underlying dry branches.

– Branching of the base of the tree crown and increasing its starting height from the ground surface, depending on the age and species of the tree.

– Thinning of shrubby vegetation in terms of ground cover.

– Removal of any other abandoned burning, flammable, explosive or flammable materials, objects and waste.

– Safe collection and transport of all cleaning residues.

In the meantime, the responsibilities of the municipalities have also increased as, among other things and as stipulated by the relevant fire-fighting provision, they need to proceed with the information of the liable parties, in carrying out regular or extraordinary checks as well as in carrying out the cleaning of the plot, autopsy and also in an emergency ex officio cleaning.

In addition, among the responsibilities of the Fire Services, is the notification by any appropriate means of the relevant municipality, the carrying out of an autopsy at the request of the relevant municipality and the certification of the competent Fire Service in urgent cases of immediate and particularly high risk of causing or rapid spread of fire.