“Based on the very large number of extremely dangerous forest fire outbreaks dealt with quickly and effectively this fire season, the new doctrine has literally worked as a lifesaver.». This was emphasized by the minister, among other things Climate Crisis and Civil ProtectionVassilis Kikilias at an event for the assessment of this year’s fire season, held at the ministry, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. As the minister said, “if even 5% of them escaped, today we would be doing a different kind of reckoning” and added that “this we must recognize and credit to all those who gave their souls in these battles. So, let’s get down to the facts and start with the whole year».

For his part, the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, referred to, among others, three main conclusions extracted from the Fire Department’s change of doctrine.

The firsthe said, is that the partnership is paying off, noting that all links in the chain were coordinated more successfully than in the past. The second conclusion, as he pointed out, is that technology can be a valuable ally and the third, as he mentioned, is that no complacency is warranted, as the climatic conditions are different.

Fires increased from January 1 to October 31 compared to the 20-year average

Then Mr. Kikilias presented in detail data from this year’s fire prevention season, stressing among other things that in 2024 we had a very large number of fires occurring outside the fire prevention season, i.e. before May 1 and after October 31. As he said, this is a phenomenon that occurs with great frequency in recent years. “Taking into account, therefore, the data of the previous years, and with the certainty that the climate crisis is and will be here, Civil Protection proceeded to redesign its operational arm in terms of dealing with fires and the new doctrine of the Fire Department, focusing on prevention, interoperability, the strengthening of EMODE, surveillance, preparedness and the immediate mobilization of air and ground forces forces“, underlined the minister.

In particular, as the minister mentioned, the fires increased by 7.42% from January 1 to October 31 compared to the 20-year average as in 2024 there were a total of 9,500 fires while the average amounts to 8,844 fires. The large number of fires outside the fire season, as he underlined, is a worrying fact, which we are likely to face much more often in the future. Specifically, he noted that out of the 9,500 total fires in 2024, 3,525 occurred before or after the fire season.

Despite most of the beginnings, however, as underlined by Mr. Kikilias, there was a reduction of acres burned in total, by 13.67%. Specifically, as he said, the acres burned in 2024 amounted to 444,500, while the twenty-year average is 515,000 acres.

The most important achievement, as he pointed out, of this year’s fire fighting season, after the protection of human life, was the reduction by 76.45% of burned forests. “Thanks to your own actions, and not because it was a good, mild year, 27,756 acres of forest burned against the twenty-year average of 117,858 acres. I want to emphasize the importance of these elements that you see: Because in the tripartite fire risk assessment “human life-property-environment” forests are the heavy factor for the environment. But also cumulatively, i.e. Forests and Woodlands – where by forests we mean the low vegetation, bushes, holly trees, briars, coppices, etc., which have immediate natural regeneration as you know – we have a 25% reduction compared to the 20-year average“, underlined the minister.

However, the minister noted that during this year’s fire prevention season, from May 1 to October 31 and the corresponding comparisons, there is a decrease of approximately 8% in the number of fires compared to the 20-year data: As he explained this year’s fire prevention season, i.e. from May 1 to October 31 the fires that occurred in 2024 were 5,975 while the average is 6,492.

At the same time, Mr. Analyzing some data from this year’s fire season, Kikilias said that 2024 was one of the driest years. “From spring onwards, the deficit of annual total precipitation exceeds 40-50% compared to the average of the last 34 years,” he said, adding that 2024 was the warmest year. “Record-record maximum temperatures were recorded in months such as April, June, and July with a multi-day heatwave-record 16 days long. It should be noted that the immediately preceding multi-day heat wave lasting 15 days occurred in 2023. That is, we have two consecutive years – an unprecedented fact”, he underlined.

In addition, as he pointed out, overall in the fire protection period from May 1 – October 31 there is a decrease of 15.97% of all types of burned areas and he added: “500,000 acres is the 20-year average, 421,000 acres in 2024 and respectively 80 and 71 acres per fire”.

According to the data presented by the minister, out of the 421,476 acres of burned land, 45%, that is, 191,000 acres, as he said, are grasslands, residues, reeds, etc. Thus, as he underlined, the very large reductions of burned forests and forest areas in relation to the total number of acres are explained.

The minister reiterated that 2024 was a very difficult year stressing that “it was the worst year in terms of fire-meteorological conditions in the last 40 years”.

Specifically, as he noted, “it has not rained or snowed since the beginning of the year, while an arid winter preceded it in 2023” and added that “an increase in the average temperatures of all months from 2 to 4 degrees Celsius was recorded”.

In addition, he emphasized that there was an early appearance of the flames that maintained high intensities during the night, “that is, they did not leave a “window” for the fire to subside in the evenings”.

As said by Mr. Kikilias, the drought was intense even at high altitudes, 1,800 and 2,000 meters, such as on Papikio mountain, Orvylos, Pangaio (2 fires), Falakro mountain, Pieria mountains (2 fires, one at the end of March), Olympus (3 fires) , Menoikio, Hionohori, etc.

He also noted that fire danger indicators were at their highest levels ever.

In particular, according to the data presented by the minister:

  • For the first time it appeared in the month of June, red alert indicator (5).
  • We had 78 days with high index-yellow (3). An increase, i.e. 35.7% compared to the 15-year M.O.
  • 57 days with a very high risk index-orange (4). That is, a 93% increase compared to the M.O. of 15 years.
  • 3 days with red (5) alert fire hazard indicator. That is, a 221% increase compared to the 20-year average.

Regarding the new doctrine of the Fire Department, Mr. Kikilias emphasized that “the application of the new doctrine of the Fire Department, in combination with the now extensive use of new technological tools, such as drones and the upgraded fire brigade, worked overall to a very satisfactory degree”. “Were all fires dealt with? No, and as you all here know, that is literally impossible. Especially under extreme conditions of high temperatures and strong winds, forest and peri-urban forest fires have been and will be the biggest nightmare of fire brigades“, he underlined.

At the same time, the minister spoke about cooperation, stressing that in the context of the wider government policy, “together with the co-competent ministries of Justice, Energy and Environment, we tightened the penalties for arsonists, legislated the cleaning of plots of land – and the citizens responded impressively – that is to say, we moved forward decisively and we continue in a series of preventive actions”.

Also, Mr. Kikilias made a special reference to the uniformed men and women of Civil Protection, who, as he said, “are always present in battle”.

“It is your dedication to duty, your often superhuman effort, your honor, which together with the volunteers, every year protects people, property and the natural environment. And thank you all sincerely“, noted the minister, also thanking the uniformed Armed Forces, ground and air, the Police and the Coast Guard, for the self-governing and specialist scientists, “in other words, this large cross-functional team, which this year, both in prevention and during during the fires, it worked great”

“What emerges from all the data, the estimates of scientists and experts, but also our own experience is that climate change has already become a climate crisis. In the last 45 years in Europe of 27, 241,587 people lost their lives due to natural disasters, while the cost of the damage amounted to 738 billion 280 million euros. See that of the 5 years with the highest cost, the 3 in a row are 2021, 2022 and 2023“, noted Mr. Kikilias and pointed out: “We are entering a new dystopian reality, which we must, however, manage by protecting people, property, infrastructure and the environment”.

Finally, Mr. Kikilias concluded: “This government since 2019, laid the foundations and then created the institutional framework and infrastructure, so that the State has the means, the mechanisms and the ability to deal with crises, to protect citizens and the environment. I will not repeat the familiar. I will only say that this laborious effort with the establishment of the ministry, the institutional redesign of responsibilities, the flagship AEGIS program of 2.1 billion and the continuous investment in human resources, is a top strategic choice of Kyriakos Mitsotakis that is already being vindicated».

For his part, the head of the Fire Brigade, lieutenant general, Theodoros Vayas, focused on the use of new technologies and drones as well as on the interoperability between agencies and security forces and emphasized that the burned areas have decreased despite more fires starting. At the same time, he pointed out that the vast majority of fires were dealt with within the same day, while underlining that as a result of the climate crisis, this year’s fires moved further north with an increase in the number of fires in Macedonia – Thrace, at high altitudes and in hard-to-reach areas. In closing, Mr. Vagias, in turn, thanked the men and women of the PS who “worked under exceptional conditions” as well as the Armed Forces, the security forces, the forest service, the municipalities, the regions that contributed as well as the volunteers for “their valuable help and support».

Then, as part of the event, 13 natural and legal persons, 2 Regions and 13 Municipalities were awarded for donating – through financing – the rental services of operational centers of unmanned aircraft (drones).