Experts lament environmental loss

The repercussions of the fires that have wreaked havoc in recent years in Attica will include reduced water, increased pollution, less biodiversity and a compromised forest ecosystem.

Ominously, the fire, which started in Varnavas, north of Athens on Sunday and blazed through 10,500 hectares of land, raised the percentage of burnt forest areas in Attica to 37% in the last eight years.

“The effects of forest fires are multifaceted, especially the recent one, which burned a large part of the suburban forest and entered the urban fabric,” says Nikos Michalopoulos, director of research at the Athens Observatory, in comments to Kathimerini.

“The most immediate consequence is ash and the emission of large quantities of microparticles, impregnated with toxic compounds. Those that were not removed with the air have settled on the ground and need attention to be removed properly to prevent them from being suspended again,” he notes. “There was also an emission of greenhouse gases from the fire, which contributes to climate change, so they are exacerbating the problem.”

He also referred to an even greater rise in temperatures in the coming years in Attica because of the burnt forests. “Forests lower temperatures by up to 3 degrees Celsius, due to the shade they provide, evaporation through foliage and other processes.” He noted that the reduction of forested areas will “lead to an increase in incident solar radiation, and therefore to increased heating of the area.”

Trees, Michalopoulos said, serve as filters of toxic compounds, removing them from the atmosphere. “Their deficit is a problem in an area like Athens and Attica with its already polluted atmosphere. After the new fire, as a consequence of the previous ones, we will have an increase in suspended particles,” he stressed.

Dimosthenis Sarigiannis, professor of environmental engineering and director of the National Research Foundation, lamented that “the greenery in the capital is minimal.” “To a large extent we were helped by the mountains that embraced the city. Now what is left?” he asked.

“Forests have an effect on the microclimate, reducing the sensible temperature. In the future we will have even hotter summers and the climate will tend to become unbearable. The quality of life in Athens will be greatly reduced. The fire has removed yet another weapon from our quiver for the environment and health,” he told Kathimerini.

“Forests have a positive balance, they absorb CO2 and provide oxygen, while at the same time filtering pollutants,” Sarigiannis added.