Greece confronts escalating forest fires as climate change intensifies

Greece is experiencing a surge in large forest fires that are no longer isolated incidents but a new normal driven by climate change. Higher temperatures, prolonged heatwaves, extended droughts and extreme weather create conditions that make forests highly flammable, as noted by climatologists Johan Rockström and Michael E. Mann.

Current policies focus on firefighting—aircraft, helicopters and fire crews—while prevention measures remain inadequate. Experts argue that effective protection must begin months before the fire season, with proper forest‑fuel management, maintenance of firebreaks, infrastructure checks and training of personnel. Modern technologies such as high‑resolution satellite monitoring, unmanned aerial vehicles, temperature‑humidity sensors and real‑time AI risk analysis are already being deployed in other countries and could improve early detection and prediction of fire spread in Greece.

The discussion also highlights the political dimension, urging the Greek state to learn from each disaster, evaluate operational shortcomings, and adopt international best practices to safeguard forests, property and lives.