DADIA – With the fire at the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park burning for the fourth consecutive day, the head of the fire brigade and forestry service briefed Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides on the situation during a visit by the minister to the area, at the head of a government team.

Proposals for the optimal coordination of the fire-fighting effort were discussed at a park management unit centre, while another meeting followed at the mobile operations centre “Olympos”.

In statements afterwards, Stylianides said that the eyes of all of Greece were upon Dadia and everything possible must be done to save the major national park, which was a great symbol of everything that concerned the natural environment and of great interest to Europe, also.

“We have come with Mr. Amyras, the deputy environment minister, to coordinate the efforts. There has already been a first meeting with the services, in which everyone participated: the regional governor, the deputy governors, MPs, the mayor who is here and is helping a great deal. We are trying to coordinate in order to become even more effective,” the minister said.

At the same time, he added, an operational team has been set up with staff from the fire brigade and the environment ministry in Athens, alongside those working the field and people who know the area well, in order to take more effective measures.

The government team will next visit the southwest front of the fire to witness the work done there, Stylianides said, and will work in the field throughout the day in a bid to maximise efficiency.

Amyras highlighted the importance of the Dadia National Park ecosystem as a “treasure trove” of biodiversity, saying that every available force has been mobilised to get the fire under control and stop it spreading. He said that the park management unit was also working with the forestry service and non-governmental organisations to set up a first aid station for wildlife, while plans were already being discussed for the restoration of the forest ecosystem.

In addition to Amyras, the government team included Civil Protection General Secretary Vassilis Papageorgiou and senior staff from the two ministries and the fire brigade.