Tinderboxes scattered all over country
Poor planning for plot clearing has led to high concentration of flammable material on roadsides
The lack of proper planning on the part of the state for the removal of waste and branches cleared from private plots of land has led to the creation of hundreds of potential fire sources around the country.
The risk of fire couldn’t be higher not only because of the heat and strong winds but also due to huge amounts of pruned branches and other garbage left for days on roadsides in Attica and the whole country.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the municipalities do not have the capacity to manage such large quantities of flammable materials.
In a letter, five municipalities of eastern Attica (Markopoulos-Mesogaia, Rafina-Pikermi, Spata-Artemida, Kropia and Paiania) have asked the Region of Attica to support the work of removing the accumulated waste.
“Owners near the forestland are dumping tons of plant matter on the beach and roads daily. This phenomenon continues through the fire season and has resulted in an increase in vulnerability in the area,” the letter said.
The municipalities also stressed that landfills and private companies managing and producing compost cannot immediately accept such large quantities. The letter also points out that solid waste management is included in the metropolitan-level responsibilities of the Region of Attica, since the region also chairs EDSNA, the solid waste management body of Attica.
Meanwhile the deadline expired on Friday for the submission of fire protection technical reports by property owners located near or within forest areas. These owners must complete the clearing of their land by the end of June.
“Private companies take 40 cubic meters a day and we need to collect and manage 5,000 cubic meters a week,” said Spata Mayor Dimitris Markou in comments to Kathimerini.
He said that the measure requiring that plots of land be cleared is the right one, as many had been abandoned for years and were potential sources of fire. But “there was no proper planning and we cannot respond.”
“We have a huge problem with immediate collection and there are branches in too many places in the city. Often people throw bulky items such as mattresses, sofas and cupboards out together, so before we proceed with the management, we have to sort them. We take them to the transfer station, where they are sorted. There it is possible to crush the branches there, but large volumes remain,” the letter said.
The municipalities note that the implementation of recent legislation and of the Fire Protection Regulation for Properties in or near forest areas, combined with the administrative fines have brought about massive cleanups of private plots and residences within a very short period.
