After three days of untold test, Chios dawned today, Wednesday without an active fire front. It was the first promising image after a prolonged battle with flames, threatening settlements, forests and valuable crops.

The night before was decisive. The ground forces of the Fire Brigade They fought with constant resuscitationmainly in the rough Kabi area, after Saint George Sykousi, while the hiking sections managed to contain the fire before crossing the shorts. If the flames had managed to cross this critical line, the South Chios and the mastic cultivation They would have suffered an incalculable disaster, says the citizen of Chios.

The island is currently operating 444 firefighters, a number that includes all the available power of Chios reinforced by fire units from Athens, Thessaloniki, Kavala and Lesvos.

Specifically, there are 21 forestry groups, 85 fire trucks, 30 volunteers in hiking sections with 4 voluntary vehicles, while 8 aerial means (2 aircraft and 6 helicopters) operate in the air. The extinguishing project is also assisted by aquifers and projects of the Greek Army and Local Government.

With the first light of day, the air means proceeded to tuning water pumpsaiming at Complete extinguishing the latest petty and Eliminate any risk of resurgence.

Although today’s image creates a sense of relief, the authorities remain on the alert, as the weather and the uncontrolled nature of the fire in the previous days do not allow complacency.

Kefalogiannis: The fires began in a half hour period in three different parts of the island

At the same time, the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Giannis Kefalogiannis It briefed the House Committee being processed by the Civil Protection and Fire Brigade bill on the evolution of the fire.

As he said, according to ERT, on Sunday’s morning and noon hours, fires began in a half hour period in three different parts of the island, specifically in Kofina, Agia ‘Anna and Agios Makarios Vrontades. Shortly after midnight, a fourth front was opened in the area of ​​St. Mark and a fifth fire broke out in the area of ​​Agiasia on Monday morning.

“This is obviously, as I said publicly, it has not only worried us, but for this reason, the first day is the Arson Criminal Directorate on the island to collect all the necessary elements and of course once we have specific announcements we will make‘, The minister stressed.

Addressed to the body, he added that it is one Polystical fire under adverse weather conditions With 7 and 8 beaufort and often the gusts of the winds exceed these speeds, over 70 kilometers per hour. He also informed that as the first fire broke out and in a half hour period and the other two, the available force of the Fire Brigade in Chios was 140 people and 23 vehicles.

“And of course, you realize that when break up three different fronts in an hourobviously there is a split of the forces in order to deal with all three at the same time. But in less than 48 hours 444 firefighters were developed on the island with 21 forestry groups and 85 vehicles in addition to 30 volunteers and 4 vehicles. A total of 14 helicopters and 4 aircraft were allocated for all days for all days. Total of 18 aerial in the whole of the days » emphasized.

Mr. Kefalogiannis also said that the subscription of both of them was valuable Armed forces both in vehicles but also to staff, her Police which did an excellent project in terms of the discharge of the settlements where it was necessary, mainly Local government First and second degree of both the Region and the Municipality, as well as the many citizens, our fellow citizens, volunteers, who helped.

“In the first 48 hours, 19 messages were issued 112. The two were preventive and 17 were for the removal of the population from settlements that were at times at risk. And, of course, the important thing is that at the moment the fire on the whole island is in a recession, thanks to the titanic effort of more than 600 of our fellow citizens and who have helped to extinguish it. It does not appear to be disasters right now, and of course, not to infrastructure. The most important thing is that we had no loss » The responsible minister informed.

He also announced that the next period will be sent to the island respectively by the relevant ministries and if needed by the Ministry of Climate crisis to record the any disasters or damage we mainly have in Agricultural part of the infrastructure.

“And of course all those who fought the real battle, our firefighters men and women were literally without shifts. They have certainly reinforced with strengths and they deserve too many congratulations, as well as our volunteers. ” He added, referring to the Titanian attempt of the Fire Brigade.

Mr Kefalogiannis pointed out that all this is important to be said, because in essence it is the political protection of our country in practice and noted that there is often a consolidated public dialogue by many – and in particular from opposition – reflective “which is the state?”

“There is no more misleading and counterproductive tool of public debate than this question, because the state essentially responds. There may be many times – and I am not just referring to Civil Protection – delays or even shortcomings, but I think that if you look at how many incidents have been dealt with, you will find that we have now exceeded 3,500 fires and only on the last three days we had 148 offspring » He said characteristically and responding to criticisms he received on dealing with the fires of recent days, he noted that “Staying in a special criticism of some things, but forgetting or not referring to all the previous ones is mainly unfair to people who are at the forefront, which are none other than our firefighters.”

He explained that it is mentioned, because the example of Chios can also be used for very useful conclusions: ‘That we had for Example 17 settlements of settlements with a very tuned And in order, for our 600 fellow citizens, mainly uniforms, who helped with dozens of vehicles, this has resulted in the island on the island at the moment. “

“I think, then, that what I have described before, that is, the speed of mobilization, the cooperation between different actors- and this is a state that the state has- the operational response and the protection of the population, obviously, have not been done by chance. There have been very specific steps. Step by step a Civil Protection Mechanism is built And I think this draft law comes to add to these steps that have been taken » The minister ended.