“Developing prevention plans at the local level not only supports the effectiveness of the response to forest fires but also strengthens transparency and accountability among responsible authorities. By systematically identifying needs and prioritizing actions, these plans ensure that limited resources are used more efficiently and strategically”
Elias Tziritis, Forest Fires Action Coordinator at WWF Greece
Consequences of wildfires in Greece
Forest fires in Greece are becoming increasingly frequent and devastating, highlighting the urgent need for prevention strategies across all levels of governance, particularly at the municipal level. Municipalities play a key role in civil protection and wildfire prevention, including citizen awareness, infrastructure maintenance, and vegetation management.
However, current Greek legislation does not mandate the creation of a comprehensive local prevention plan, limiting municipalities' ability to develop and implement effective preventive measures.
The Fire Risk Management Plan
To address this challenge, WWF Greece and the Agricultural University of Athens developed a Fire Risk Management Plan for the Municipality of Chalkis, a region frequently affected by severe forest fires. A recent example is the July 2024 wildfire in the Pissonas-Afrati area, which devastated 9,704 hectares of forest and woodland.
This initiative builds on successful experiences in Kalamata and Kissamos earlier in 2024. The aim is to support municipalities in identifying their prevention needs and priorities, enabling long-term planning, evidence-based decision-making, and transparent, accountable fundraising.
The Fire Risk Management Plan for Chalkis was presented in two stages.
- On April 4, 2025, a public consultation was held to share the draft version and gather valuable input from local stakeholders, fostering awareness and active engagement with local authorities.
- After integrating the feedback, the final version of the Plan was presented to the Municipality of Chalkis on June 6, 2025. The event was attended by key stakeholders involved in forest fire management in the area.
Involving partners and local key stakeholders
This new Plan positions the Municipality of Chalkis as one of the most forward-thinking in Greece regarding wildfire prevention, equipping local actors with the tools to implement science-based and comprehensive prevention strategies.
All the above were implemented through the European Horizon NATALIE project, in which the Municipality of Chalkis, Region of Central Greece, University of Thessaly, National and Technical University of Athens, Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation and WWF Greece work with the implementation of nature-based solutions in Lelantine Plain in Evia island to reduce the risks of floods and forest fires.
This presentation was relayed by CS#1 partner (only available in Greek)
Stay tuned for future progress arising from this presentation of the Fire Risk Management Plan!