In a parliamentary session focused on wildfires and natural disasters, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasised the significance of the emergency number 112 in saving lives.
The debate, which began shortly after 11 a.m., provided an opportunity for Mitsotakis to present data on the current wildfire crisis.
Mitsotakis highlighted that this year has been the most challenging in the last 40 years, marked by consistently high temperatures, extreme drought, and strong winds following a dry spell. He noted that Greece faced risk levels of 4 and 5 earlier in the season than in previous years, prompting the state mechanism to remain on standby for six months.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to all members of the state response teams, reporting that Greece experienced 9,101 fires this year, up from 7,163 last year. He also pointed out that while 1,754,000 acres burned last year, this year saw 440,000 acres affected, with an average of 500,000 acres burned in recent years.
Mitsotakis underscored that the goal should not be to eliminate all fires, but rather to keep the number of acres burned below average. He noted a decrease in forest land loss per fire incident, emphasising the broader context of the climate crisis affecting not only Greece but also countries like Portugal and the United States. “The Mediterranean is at the heart of the climate crisis and will face increasing challenges,” he warned.