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In regards to the problems Zakynthos is facing during fire danger period, Konstantinos Tsiopos, Commander of the Fire Services Administration of the Prefecture of Zakynthos and the Head of the Department of Civil Protection for the Region of Zakynthos Maria Mouzaki, spoke to our local newspaper HMERA
“We are at the peak of the anti-fire season. A lot of care is needed to avoid accidental fires, at least… People should be careful. Do not light a fire for any reason, do not throw cigarettes on the streets and do not exercise work with machinery that cause sparks. If anyone notices anything to inform 199 or 112. In general, attention is needed. These days are dangerous, because people are relaxing due to holidays,” said Mr. Tsiopos, who then spoke about the conditions prevailing during this period. “Because summer starts in May, the vegetation now is drier than ever. It is highly flammable, everything has dried out and the humidity levels are low. Fires are now can excel faster than at any other time.”
He also noted that those who come to the island for holidays during this period should also be careful when cleaning their cottages and their plots, as fires that break out due to careless burning of grass are a frequent phenomenon.
The Commander of the Prefecture of Zakynthos also made a special mention about traffic which, especially in August, has worsened and there is a risk that the arrival of fire engines will be delayed in an incident.
“It’s crowded at this time of year. Traffic is a big problem. The streets are full and there are many tourists who do not understand what is happening when they hear the sirens. There are also many “quads”. The problem is intense in Argassi, Tsilivi and other areas. Until August 24, the problem will be more intense.”
The uncleared areas.
An issue that makes the work of the Fire Department even more difficult in the “heart” of fire protection is the uncleared plots.
“Unfortunately, uncleared private plots have ended up being a scourge, as have landfills. A solution can be given, since there is a specific firefighting provision for the cleaning of private plots. All municipalities in the country can, if the owners do not comply with the calls, until April 30, intervene ex officio for the cleaning and the bill is paid to the Public Fund. There is a serious problem in finding the owners. Everyone tells us they don’t know who it belongs to. There is a way for the Municipalities, using the Taxation Department to find the owners. Municipalities can ask for a public prosecutor’s order if someone doesn’t do what the law says. It is not possible for the Municipalities to clean all these areas. The plots are many and the cost is very high for the Municipalities. They probably don’t have the machines, like our own Municipality, nor the resources to be able to do these clearings,” Maria Mouzakis, Head of the Civil Protection Department of the Regional Unit of Zakynthos, initially emphasized.
She even added that fires were caused on our island in the previous period of time on uncleared plots of land and emphasized that everyone should take care of cleaning their properties. Finally, she spoke about another serious issue that worries the competent authorities and services, which is none other than the landfills that… spring up like mushrooms in the forests of our island… “In every fire, we also discover a landfill, because every unconscious citizen throws rubbish, useless objects and organic garbage wherever they find. We need to focus on our own behavior.”
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Source in Greek:-https://www.imerazante.gr/
