WILDFIRE NEAR ATHENS, GREECE

June 16, 2012

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

IT’S “FIRE SEASON” AGAIN IN GREECE

Every Summer, Greece faces the nightmare of destructive forest fires linked either to the inevitable heat wave or to arsonists.

In 2007, 80 people died in dozens of major wildfires across Greece

THE FIRE BROKE OUT SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH

WHERE WORKERS HAD BEEN WELDING

BAD TIMING

The timing of the unwanted fire coincided with Greece’s election to deal with the economic crisis.

THYMARI, GREECE: JUNE 16, 2012

FIRE FIGHTERS AND VOLUNTEERS: THYMARI, GREECE

ONE OF SEVEN FIRE FIGHTING PLANES: THYMARI, GREECE; JUNE 16

PLANET EARTH HAS THOUSANDS OF “WILDFIRE

LABORATORIES”

EACH WILDFIRE PROVIDES VALUABLE LESSONS ON

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

WILDFIRES are conflagrations caused by

lightning discharges (or acts of man) in wilderness areas close enough to one or more urban

interfaces that they threaten people, property, infrastructure, and

business enterprise.

WILDFIRES are conflagrations caused by

lightning discharges (or acts of man) in wilderness areas close enough to one or more urban

interfaces that they threaten people, property, infrastructure, and

business enterprise.

WILDFIRE HAZARDS (AKA POTENTIAL DISASTER AGENTS)

• FIRE

• HOT GASES AND SMOKE

• HOT SPOTS

• BURNED OUT SLOPES (with increased susceptibility to insect infestation, erosion, and landslides)

WILDFIRE HAZARDS (AKA POTENTIAL DISASTER AGENTS)

• SUNDOWNER WINDS

• SANTA ANNA WINDS

• LOCAL CHANGES IN AIR QUALITY

• LOCAL CHANGES IN WEATHER

WILDFIRES CAN CAUSE HIGH-RISK SITUATIONS

Any wildfire can be devastating to people, property, infrastructure, business enterprise, and the environment.

PAST WILDFIRES IN GREECE

• Hundreds of other wildfires have raged throughout Greece, most recently in 2009.

ATHENS, GREECE AREA

WILDFIRES NEAR ATHENS: AUGUST 22, 2009

WILDFIRES THREATEN ACROPOLIS: AUGUST 22, 2009

WILDFIRES NEAR ATHENS: AUGUST 22, 2009

WILDFIRES NEAR ATHENS: AUGUST 22, 2009