ATHENS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Thursday a 45-day extension to the deadline for clearing overgrown vegetation on private properties, as part of the country's efforts to better prepare for what is expected to be another challenging wildfire season.
Mitsotakis underscored the need for public cooperation in clearing plots of land, calling it a critical line of defense that had proven effective in protecting homes and aiding firefighting efforts last year, when the country experienced devastating fires.
Mitsotakis also said, "There are more firefighters on the ground, and the number of trained volunteers continues to grow."
The Civil Protection and Climate Crisis Ministry has confirmed that this year's fire season will begin on May 1 as usual. Enhanced interagency coordination and investment in early warning systems are central to the 2025 fire response plan.
According to the Hellenic Fire Service, over 8,000 wildfires occurred during the 2024 fire season, in which seven people were killed, including two firefighters, 210 homes were destroyed and over 150,000 hectares were scorched, with total damages exceeding 1.2 billion euros (1.37 billion U.S. dollars), a 35 percent increase from 2023.
