Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a set of fast-track measures to help relieve dozens of homeowners and businesses affected by the uncontrolled fires which started in Varnavas on Aug. 11 and spread across nine municipalities reaching Athens on Aug. 12.
Mitsotakis announced the actions after a meeting with relevant ministers and authorities and following an on-the-spot inspection of damages in the suburb of Penteli, one of nine municipalities devastated by the fires. Mitsotakis was received by demonstrators holding placards urging him to resign, to stop the desertification of Attica, to restore all lost woodland, and to ban any construction in burned areas.
The 10 measures include state aid covering 80% of reconstruction costs for burned homes and an individual state-guaranteed loan for the remaining 20%; immediate cleanups of fire-hit public spaces as part of “Anti-Nero” which includes emergency funding to fire-affected municipalities; the immediate cleanup and restoration of private gardens in cooperation with forestry services; a new fire protection plan and the restoration of forests and creek areas by the forestry services; the reforestation of a 5,834-hectare area in Attica; management studies for Attica forests and mountains covering a 140,000-hectare area and the establishment of forestry cooperatives starting from the next fire season; fire protection studies nationwide; urban planning schemes for the protection of residential zones near forests from the risks of climate change and wildfires.
A destroyed vehicle is seen at the yard of a burned house as a wildfire burns near the village of Varnavas, near Athens, Greece, August 12, 2024. Photo credit: Reuters/Alexandros Avramidis
Additionally, more than 2.1 billion euros is being allocated for the upgrade of civil protection systems and infrastructure, and approximately 1 billion euros from national and EU funds for the protection and management of the country’s remaining forests.
Meanwhile, according to an official government statement cited by To Vima of the 227 inspections so far were carried out on residential properties, storage facilities, public buildings, and commercial spaces, 146 houses were classified as uninhabitable, 55 up for demolition, 91 require temporary repairs and 96 suffered minor damages.
Homeowners and businesses impacted by the massive Attica fires can begin to claim compensation on the Arogi platform here.
