Greece has added 164 new firefighting vehicles to its national fleet as part of efforts to strengthen its response to what authorities say is one of the most demanding wildfire seasons in recent years.
The vehicles, valued at €15.55 million, include all-terrain water tankers with 12,000-litre capacity as well as personnel and equipment transport trucks, the government said on Friday during a handover event hosted by the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
“These vehicles are just the first 10% of the 1,400 to be delivered under the Aegis program,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, referring to the EU-funded €2 billion initiative aimed at upgrading Greece’s civil protection infrastructure.
Mitsotakis said Greece has deployed its largest-ever wildfire response force this year, with 18,000 permanent and seasonal firefighters, more than 1,500 forest commandos, and additional personnel from five European countries. He added that the country now has access to 85 firefighting aircraft, more than 80 drones, and nearly 4,000 vehicles of various types.
He emphasised the role of prevention and early intervention, noting that over €400 million has been allocated for forest clearing, firebreak construction and related measures.
“The climate crisis is here to stay,” Mitsotakis said, urging continued European Union support to ensure not only progress toward climate neutrality by 2050 but also the immediate protection of citizens across the bloc.
