The large fire front in Attica, which began in Varnavas and spread to many other areas, has put the government on high alert as they face yet another extremely challenging situation this summer.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was at the Unified Operations Coordination Center of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection early in the morning, where he was briefed on the fire in Attica and the ongoing firefighting operations, according to government sources.

These sources also mentioned that there will be statements made by the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, regarding the fire’s progress and the efforts of the firefighting forces.

Mitsotakis’ Urgent Return and Meetings at Maximos Mansion

The preparedness of the mechanism was certain, following multiple meetings at the Ministry of Civil Protection, as many areas of the country, including Attica, were on high alert. However, the situation that developed yesterday afternoon and evening prompted the prime minister to make a swift return to the Maximos Mansion from Chania, where he was spending the early days of his summer vacation.

From the outset, Mr. Mitsotakis was in direct communication with his associates and the relevant minister, Vassilis Kikilias, who was coordinating the firefighting forces and spent the night at the “Pharos” building of Civil Protection.

This morning, Mr. Mitsotakis will be in meetings at Maximos Mansion, with government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Georgios Mylonakis, both of whom have been “mobilized.” The responsibility for communication from Maximos Mansion was handled by the Director of Crisis Management, Giorgos Efthymiou.

Government and Civil Protection officials believe that the deployment of aerial firefighting resources from the early morning hours will be crucial in managing the fire front, which is the most significant challenge the state apparatus has faced this summer. Authorities noted that all provisions of the new operational doctrine were activated from the outset, with a simultaneous large-scale mobilization of both aerial and ground forces. However, the prevailing conditions, especially the strong winds, brought the situation out of control.

The first light of day will reveal the extent of the destruction, as reports of damage to homes remain unclear. By last night, there was a significant mobilization in coordination between Maximos Mansion, Civil Protection, ministries, and local governments to open spaces, such as those at OAKA, to accommodate people evacuating their homes with no place to go. Provisions were also made for pets.