GREECE WILDFIRES - USAID/OFDA SITUATION REPORT AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ATHENS 001800

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SUBJECT: GREECE WILDFIRES - USAID/OFDA SITUATION REPORT AND
ASSESSMENT TEAM REPORT

REFS: A) ATHENS 1687 B) ATHENS 1700 C) ATHENS 1707

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Summary
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1. According to Greek firefighting authorities, the 2007 wildfire
season in Greece was the worst on record, killing 76 people,
injuring numerous others, and burning 270,000 hectares of land. In
response to a request from the Government of Greece (GOG),the U.S.
Agency for International Development's Office of U.S. Foreign
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provided more than USD 1.9 million
in humanitarian assistance, including the procurement and
transportation of emergency relief supplies and the deployment of a
six-person technical assessment team from USAID/OFDA and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service (USFS). From
September 1 to 7, the team visited fire-affected areas and met with
GOG officials to develop a longer-term program for supporting the
GOG's fire stabilization, rehabilitation, preparedness, and planning
activities.

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Overview of 2007 Greek Wildfires
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2. Wildfires are an annual occurrence in Greece, with significant
blazes occurring in 1997 and 2000. [Note: As in the western U.S.,
the Greek wildfire season generally lasts from early June through
mid-October. End Note.] However, according to Greek authorities,
the 2007 season was the worst on record with an average of up to 85
fire starts and 200 active blazes per day across the country. A
lengthy heat wave in June and unusually strong, dry winds in August
exacerbated the region's risk for wildfire. From August 23 to
August 31, more than 130 fires broke in the Peloponnese al between August 2
3 and `de authorities have 0,000 hectares of
wild land in Greece's north, on the Island of Crete, and around
Athens, including on Mount Parnitha and Mount Pendeli. These blazes
reportedly killed ten people, including two Greek firefighters and
two Hellenic Air Force pilots flying firefighting aircraft, three
part-time firefighters in Crete, and three civilians in Egio
Prefecture (REFTEL). The fires also damaged private property.


4. In late August, fires in the Peloponnese and Evia regions killed
an additional 66 people and burned across more than 240,000 hectares
of land. Estimates of the number of homes and buildings destroyed
by the fires range from 1,700 to approximately 4,000. Thousands of
livestock also perished in the flames. In many areas of the
Peloponnese and Evia, damage from the blazes suggested that the fire
spread rapidly across the dry terrain, incinerating otherwise
fire-resistant trees with super hot flames and overwhelming the
response capacity of Hellenic Fire Brigade.


5. Government of Greece authorities noted that the Hellenic Fire
Brigade fought the fires with 7,130 firefighters, 930 vehicles, and
dozens of aircraft (including foreign provided aircraft) as well as
with 3,000 Greek Military personnel, more than 200 volunteers, and
support from 20 European Union states and neighboring countries.


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6. The causes of the fires vary, and most blazes are still under
investigation. According to GOG authorities, some fires were the
result of arson while others were started accidentally. In Evia
Region, welders triggered one of the fires. In Ileia Prefecture on
the Peloponnese, an elderly woman discarded burning oil from her
frying pan, inadvertently starting a massive blaze which killed 19
people including a mother, her mother-in-law, and her four children.



7. Because of the widespread damage, the GOG declared a state of
emergency late in the day on August 25. In addition to devastating
vast areas of Greece, the fires caused an estimated USD 1.6 billion
in economic damage, according to Greek finance officials. The fires
also have political ramifications for the forthcoming parliamentary
elections, scheduled for September 16.

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USG response
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8. On August 27, Embassy Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Thomas Countryman
declared a disaster due to the magnitude of the wildfires in Greece
and the damage caused to loss of life, property, and livelihoods.
In response, USAID/OFDA immediately provided USD 100,000 through the
U.S. Embassy in Athens to the Hellenic Red Cross for the local
purchase and distribution of emergency relief commodities for
fire-affected households. USAID/OFDA also provided the Hellenic
Fire Brigade with emergency fire-fighting equipment, including 3,000
complete Nomex fire suits. On September 5 and 6, USAID/OFDA
transported to Greece additional emergency relief commodities,
including 300 tents, 3,000 sleeping bags, and 10,000 blankets, which
were given to the Hellenic Red Cross. The total value of the
firefighting equipment and emergency relief commodities is USD
610,000.


9. At the request of the Government of Greece, and in cooperation
with the U.S. Embassy in Athens, USAID/OFDA deployed a six-person
interagency technical team on August 2 to assess the impact of the
wildfires, evaluate potential hazards created by newly burned
terrain, and provide technical assistance to the GOG in responding
to the current emergency and addressing long-term wildfire
management issues (see para 12).


10. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, USAID/OFDA is providing more than USD
1.9 million in emergency and technical assistance to Greece to
reduce the suffering of fire-affected households and mitigate the
longer-term economic impact of the fires on Greece.


11. On August 29, Acting Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and
Acting USAID Administrator, Under Secretary of State for Management
Henrietta R. Fore met with members of the GOG. [Note: Acting
Administrator Fore had arrived in the region on August 16 as part of
a private trip. End note.] Acting Administrator Fore also gave an
exclusive interview to Greek State-owned television, in which she
expressed condolences on behalf of the USG and reiterated a strong
commitment to assist the GOG with addressing future catastrophic
fires.

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Inter-Agency Technical Team
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12. From September 2 to 8, a six-person interagency technical team
traveled to Greece to meet with fire response officials and assess
the human and environmental impact of the recent wildfires. Led by
USFS Director of Fire and Aviation Management Thomas C. Harbour and
USFS Assistant Director of International Programs Stephanie Fritz

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13. The team spent four days visiting burn sites in the Evia,
Attica, and Peloponnese regions accompanied by officials from the
U.S. Embassy in Athens, the Hellenic Fire Brigade, and the GOG
Foreign Ministry. On the island of Evia, the team viewed fire
clean-up and emergency stabilization operations in areas impacted by
severe wildfires in early and late August. On Mount Parnitha on the
outskirts of Athens, the team observed where the Hellenic Fire
Brigade successfully repelled fast moving flames threatening
residential communities at the base of the mountain. Around the
Peloponnese, the team visited the sites of some of the largest and
most deadly 2007 fires, including two burns in Ileia Prefecture. In
addition, the team observed the devastation caused by fires in
Arkadia and Lakonia prefectures.


14. Following the field visits, the team met with GOG officials,
including the Public Order Minister, the Director of the Hellenic
Department of Forestry, and the Secretary General of the Ministry
for Public Order. The purpose of the meetings was to encourage
additional fire-fighting cooperation and coordination between the
GOG and the USG.


15. To better understand how the GOG manages national and regional
fire responses, the team visited the national centralized operations
center and met with the Hellenic Fire Brigade's Senior Fire Chief,
who extended his appreciation for U.S. assistance and welcomed the
opportunity for further collaboration.

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Analysis and Recommendations
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Overview - Increasing Fire Risk:


16. Climate: As in many other countries worldwide, wildfire risk
and vulnerability are increasing in Greece. Climate change and
environmental change play a role in this increased risk. Following
an extremely dry winter, Greece experienced three heat waves in June
with daytime temperatures reaching more than 40 degrees centigrade.
The Hellenic Fire Brigade recorded over 200 fire starts per day
between June 25 and August 31. Regional weather patterns caused
unusual strong northeasterly winds in August that spread the later
fires quickly through parched forest and agricultural areas. The
largest fire in Peloponnese burned approximately 44,000 hectares,
more than twice the size of the largest fire in Greece's previous
recorded history.


17. Economic and Social Patterns: Economic and social shifts in
Greece also contribute to vulnerability. Since the 1970s, the
demographics of Greece have shifted dramatically as populations have
moved away from traditional villages to the urban centers of Athens
and Thessaloniki, extending areas of habitation outward into
surrounding hills. Older people who remain in villages are not able
to maintain traditional gardens that previously provided a natural
perimeter, or fire break, between towns and forested areas. As
these former village gardens are seeded by trees and shrubby
species, fuels creep closer to homes and significantly increase the
likelihood that wildland fires will spark structural fires. The
lack of a natural perimeter also leaves populations without a "safe
haven" when large or fast-moving fires approach their villages.


18. Familiar Patterns to USG Firefighters: Similar to Greece, the
United States has faced increased fire risk and record breaking fire
seasons in recent years, with particular difficulty in the

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wildland/urban interface-where new construction encroaches on
previously undeveloped land. As such, continuing cooperation with a
focus on management approaches, best practices, and technical
applications in fire management will be beneficial to both
countries. The following paragraphs outline a proposed program of
technical assistance and collaboration between the GOG and USFS to
maintain and enhance this important relationship.

Burned Area Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation


19. Technical Team Findings: In the team's four-day survey, the
USFS Soil Scientist observed fire damage and related soil
instability, which will increase flood and landslide vulnerability
in the upcoming rainy season.


20. In Attica and Evia, the team visited several sites that
exhibited high burn severity, particularly on Mount Parnitha on the
outskirts of Athens. However, the team was impressed with the GOG's
intensive slope stabilization efforts in this area, which included
contour felling and stream grade stabilization. In the shrub
ecosystems in Evia, overall burn severity tended to be moderate.
According to the USFS Soil Scientist, these ecosystems will recover
quickly due to quick sprouting and regrowth of fire-adapted species.
The soil scientist concluded that Greek officials were successfully
managing emergency stabilization in areas viewed by the team.


21. In Peloponnese, the team observed a number of large areas that
demonstrated steep and/or unstable slopes and high burn severity in
close proximity to population centers, agricultural fields, roads,
infrastructure, and world heritage archeological sites. Surviving
structures, ranging from homes and cottage businesses in small
village communities to the ancient stadium in Olympia, are
potentially at high risk from debris flows during the upcoming rainy
season. The assessment team concluded that this hazard needs to be
evaluated as soon as possible to prevent further loss of life and
property. The technical team was particularly concerned about
landslides and wash-outs in villages served by a single access road,
which could isolate flood affected populations during the rainy
season.


22. Recommendations: The technical team proposes to provide
immediate burned area stabilization support to the GOG during the
months of September and early October 2007. This assistance would
begin with the preparation of hazard and risk maps for fire-affected
areas of Greece, based on remote sensing and geographic information
systems data available through the U.S. Forest Service and other
sources. Maps would be shared with the Greek Ministry of
Agriculture, which is responsible for developing appropriate
`n fire-affected areas.in select areas to identify specific values at risk
and possible mitigation measures prior to damaging storms in the
rainy season. In meetings with the Director and staff of the Greek
Department of Forestry on September 8, the technical team confirmed
that the GOG welcomes this assistance and identified technical
officers who are planning to follow-up with the GOG.

Wildfire and Emergency Management


24. Technical Team Findings: With combined experience of over 75
years in wildfire management, the technical team was nonetheless
struck by the scope and magnitude of wildfire damage in Greece,
particularly in the hardest hit areas of the Peloponnese. The

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THIS CABLE WAS CANCELED AND RETRANSMITTED UNDER ATHENS 2019, 10 OCTOBER
2007 BECAUSE OF PROCESSING ERRORS WITH SECTION TWO.

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COUNTRYMAN