The monitoring of the mountainous areas of Attica by 25 state-of-the-art drones to detect fires and arsonists was mentioned by the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, in an interview he granted to the main news bulletin of the ANT1 television station.

“With the new drones, we use wide-angle and thermal cameras, lasers, artificial intelligence and pin points of the area, with the aim of preventing as well as detecting arsonists. They fly day and night non-stop in all the mountainous areas and the semi-urban-semi-forested areas of Attica. I thank the seven donors and the seven mayors, who jointly make this effort and I announce that it will soon be extended, as I see it, to the rest of Greece” stressed Mr. Kikilias, underlining, however, that the drone system will not solve everything and that the current firefighting season will be very difficult, due to the dry winter that preceded it and the extreme weather conditions caused by the climate crisis throughout the planet.

Regarding the dangerous days we are going through for the occurrence of difficult-to-manage fires, the Minister of Fire Protection stated: “We are just before the ‘red alert’, we are in the orange. So everyone is scattered everywhere: the fire brigade, the volunteers, the Greek Police, and the Army patrols. Previously, Mr. Arniakos described it clearly, the conditions are insurmountably difficult. I have explained it from the beginning. And what do I promise? Battle, battle and battle. We should all be careful.”

With reference to the submission of cleaning declarations of the plots by their owners on the http://akatharista.apps.gov.gr platform, which expires at the end of the month, Mr. Kikilias announced that 147,000 declarations have been submitted, pointing out: “It is a very large number and I thank them all very much. It is a big contribution compared to last year. Do an autopsy and see the truth. Many mayors also, now have collected all these dry branches and leaves, which are deposited outside their houses by our fellow citizens that they cleaned.

Well, a lot of work is done. There are some who are careless and some who don’t care. I inform you that the law is here, with the fines and procedures provided for”

Finally, the minister referred to the aerial means available to the state apparatus this year, which as he said “are more than ever, just like last year” and emphasized the crucial importance of citizens’ cooperation in the superhuman efforts made by firefighters and civil protection forces, saying features:

“I want to point out once again that these people are fighting a huge battle, and ask volunteers, citizens and society to stand by their side. They have no party symbol. Kikilias does not put out fires. The Fire Department puts them out or doesn’t. The leadership, volunteers, rangers and firefighters. Please come and help all these people».