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'The climate crisis is here': Greece PM Mitsotakis urges environmental action
By Evangelo Sipsas in Athens
Europe;Greece
04:01

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has warned "the climate crisis is here," as his country continues to fight the worst wildfires it has experienced in its history.

The largest fire broke out on Greece's second-largest island Evia on August 3 and destroyed most of the northern area.

The fires broke out as the country endured the most intense heatwave in around 30 years. Hundreds of wildfires broke out across the nation, stretching Greece's firefighting capabilities to the limit and leading the government to appeal for help from abroad. 

Hundreds of firefighters, along with planes, helicopters and vehicles, arrived from 24 European and Middle Eastern countries to assist.

 

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In his first press conference since the fires began, Mitsotakis said authorities had faced around 100 active blazes each day, but now the situation had much improved, with most large wildfires under control.

But he has warned the danger of more blazes was still present.

"The climate crisis – I'd like to use this term, and not climate change – the climate crisis is here. It calls for a drastically different approach. Our choice is to put the environment forward as a priority and green transition plan to orient the country towards a low and eventually zero-emissions economy," Mitsotakis said.

More than 50,900 hectares were damaged in northern Evia, according to mapping from the European Union's Copernicus Emergency Management Service. Entire mountains of mainly pine forest have been reduced to bare, blackened stumps, while several villages and towns were evacuated.

 

More than 50,900 hectares were damaged in northern Evia, according to mapping from the European Union's Copernicus Emergency Management Service. /AP

More than 50,900 hectares were damaged in northern Evia, according to mapping from the European Union's Copernicus Emergency Management Service. /AP

 

The government prioritized protecting lives in its fire response, issuing dozens of evacuation orders for villages in the path of the flames. In that respect, the policy appears to have worked. 

One volunteer firefighter died while working in an area north of Athens hit by a major fire, after suffering a head injury. Four volunteer firefighters have been hospitalized with burns, including two in critical condition in intensive care.

"From the outset, our overriding objective in natural disasters was, is and will be the protection of life. This is followed by the protection of property, critical infrastructure and the natural environment. This is the hierarchy we follow," Mitsotakis said.

Greek authorities had been anxious to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2018, when a blaze tore through the seaside town of Mati near Athens, killing 102 people in a matter of hours, including some who drowned trying to escape the flames and smoke by sea.

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