Greece’s Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas, reflected on this year’s fire season, the Civil Protection mechanism’s readiness for flooding, and the timeline for compensation payments to victims of the recent extreme weather in Crete, during an interview on Real FM 97.8. The minister highlighted the dual challenge facing the country, noting that Greece is experiencing climate change firsthand — with wildfires in the north and flooding in the south.
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Tournas: First relief payments to Crete flood victims within 10 days
The minister stressed that the country is being called upon to manage multiple natural hazards simultaneously, stating: “Right now, we are truly experiencing climate change. We have fires in the north and floods in the south.”
Regarding the disbursement of initial relief payments to those affected by the recent extreme weather in Crete, Minister Tournas confirmed that inspections by the Earthquake and Natural Disaster Restoration Fund (DAEFK) are already under way at homes and businesses, with damage assessments expected to be completed by next week.
He clarified that once inspections are completed and complete application files are submitted — in cooperation with local municipalities and the regional authority — the process of disbursing the first round of relief payments will proceed.
“Within ten days, provided the file is complete, the funds will be released to the mayors so that residents can receive their initial relief payments,” he stated, adding that corresponding amounts for affected businesses would be made available within fifteen days.
He also clarified that the initial household relief payment is specifically intended to cover damage to household appliances and furnishings.
“We are still in the fire season — nothing is over yet”
Minister Tournas emphasized that, despite preparations to address flooding, the fire season is still ongoing and the Civil Protection mechanism remains on heightened operational alert.
He specifically referenced the recent forest fire that crossed into Evros from Bulgaria, which required a major response involving more than 100 fire trucks and 10 aircraft and helicopters, ultimately bringing the blaze under control.
He also mentioned a fire that broke out the previous night in the Deskata area, noting that incidents continue to occur that demand immediate operational response. “We are still in the fire season — nothing is over yet,” he said, stressing that readiness must be maintained, particularly in areas that have not yet received rainfall, as significant fires have also been recorded in October in past years.
Regarding the weather outlook, the minister noted that the mechanism is also preparing for the coming week, as initial forecasts from scientists indicate an expected weather change arriving from the west. “Early indications suggest it won’t be too severe, but we are preparing for all scenarios regardless,” he said.
He placed particular emphasis on the need for timely preventive interventions, such as clearing streams, waterways, and urban drainage systems, warning that heavy rainfall intensity can cause serious problems even within city centers.
As he explained, the mechanism’s preparedness is built on ongoing collaboration with the National Meteorological Service, the Civil Protection scientific team, and the National Observatory of Athens (Meteo), ensuring that risks are assessed in a timely manner and the necessary forces are mobilized.
He also discussed the particular meteorological conditions that prevail during September, October, and November, explaining that relatively warm sea temperatures, combined with the arrival of cold air masses, create favorable conditions for severe weather events.
The minister reiterated that the protection of human life is the absolute top priority of the Civil Protection mechanism, stating: “Because above all else, and first of all, comes human life — and then property.”
When asked about this year’s fire season overall, Minister Tournas reported that approximately 4,300 fires were recorded, compared to a twenty-year average of 5,650 — a reduction of approximately 25%. Burned areas totaled around 335,000 stremmata (approximately 83,500 acres), representing a reduction of approximately 36% compared to the twenty-year average.
He highlighted in particular that purely forested burned areas were limited to approximately 30,000 stremmata, marking — according to the figures he presented — a reduction of around 75% over the past twenty years.
The minister noted that this year’s effort focused on two core objectives: reducing the number of fires and limiting the availability of combustible material.
“We said we would catch the arsonists — and we did”
Minister Tournas gave special attention to the intensification of inspections and investigations into the causes of fires. He reported that through the work of the Arson Crimes Unit and 37 Arson Crime Investigation Teams deployed across the country, 856 fines have been issued and 362 arrests have been made under the flagrante delicto procedure, of which 41 were related to deliberate arson.
The minister underlined that the systematic investigation of incidents and the crackdown on arson were a key priority, contributing significantly to efforts to reduce the number of fire ignitions.
Referring to this effort, he stated emphatically: “We said we would hunt down and catch the arsonists. And we caught them,” noting that a large number of cases were successfully solved.
Analyzing the fire season data further, Minister Tournas pointed out that four major fires were responsible for approximately 200,000 stremmata of burned land — nearly two-thirds of the total.
Specifically, he referenced the two fires that broke out in southern Rethymno on July 28 and 29, causing destruction across approximately 50,000 stremmata, as well as the fires in Xironomi, Boeotia, where around 40,000 stremmata were burned, and the Porto Germeno fire, which started in the Agios Vasileios area of Boeotia.
Explaining the particularly challenging conditions firefighters faced, the minister referred to the extreme wind intensity, which in many cases made it impossible to deploy aerial firefighting assets operationally.
Specifically regarding the Porto Germeno fire, he noted that from its start on Friday morning through Saturday noon on August 1, a total of 51 takeoff orders were issued to aircraft and helicopters — which, despite being mobilized, were unable to operate due to the powerful gale-force winds.
As he put it: “We were facing extreme wind conditions that prevented the aerial assets from flying.”
Concluding his overview of the fire season, Minister Tournas underscored the importance of collective effort in disaster prevention and response, noting that results depend on cooperation between the state mechanism, local government, and citizens.
