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The human factor the 1st cause of fires – “Difficult summer expected”

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Ο ανθρoπινοσ &pi ;ροτσ αιρκγ«&pi ροβλπεταικοοκλοκαρι» /></p> <p>A difficult summer is expected on the basis of the dry winter, said the Press Spokesman of the Fire Service, Andreas Kettis, in an interview with KYPE, in which he talks, among other things, about the extension of the fire fighting season, the causes of the fires, the measures are taken, for the changes in climatic conditions and the climate crisis and the impact of a fire on the environment and society.</p> <p> As Mr. Kettis said, on the basis of statistics and on the basis of the research they do on the causes of fire, it seems in the vast majority of cases, i.e. a percentage over 92%, behind every fire is a human activity.</p> <p>He noted, at the same time, that "in 2022-2023 we are considerably lower in the number of fires than in previous years".</p> <p>"Although a difficult summer is predicted, I repeat on the basis of the dry winter, which we had and on the basis of the fire protection season which has been extended, and on the basis of the environmental conditions that are predicted but which we see have already started very early, I want to I believe that at least we will remain at the same levels (as in the previous two years), he added. /p> </p> <p> Answering a question that the fire fighting season started early this year and what awaits the firefighting and fire protection authorities this summer, Mr. Kettis said that we do have a fire fighting season, which started early, based on the climatic conditions conditions, which were formed.</p> <p>"Don't forget we had a dry winter. And this, of course, is the benefit of having an early fire season. There have already been two or three fires, which were the trigger and we consider and assess that they were quite large fires and I believe that in all cases an over-effort was made both by the Fire Service and by all the other government agencies that are involved in the matter of extinguishing but also suppression with a secondary role in extinguishing fires, so that we can limit and manage to suppress them”, he noted.</p> <p>Simply, continued Mr. Kettis, what is being established is the behavior of the fires. And this, he said, is a result of the drought that existed but also of the environmental conditions that exist, so that these fires can be created easily, "but their behavior is indicative of the fact that we will have a difficult summer season here and there, as well as rightly so. You mentioned the anti-fire season has started very early and it is no longer the traditional anti-fire season we had years ago, it has been extended to the maximum, i.e. it can start from April and last until November.</p> <p> At this point, Mr. Kettis recalled that a few years ago we had a record number of fires in the month of December.</p> <p>"So, that in itself demonstrates and proves that things have changed. “Environmental conditions have changed and the fire season has been lengthened, and at the base of the extension we are also more alert than all this period of the extension of the fire season,” he added.</p> <p> <strong>Human activity behind from fires at a rate of 92%</strong></p> <p>Noting that despite the measures taken, the human factor still seems to be the first cause of fire occurrence, Mr. Kettis said that this is now proven, that is, based on statistics and on the basis of the research they do on the causes of fire, it seems that it exists in the vast majority of cases and speaks, as he said, of a percentage of more than 92%, which is a human activity behind every fire.</p> <p> He reiterated that starting a fire in itself is very rare and there must be a conjuncture of negative factors, which coincide, so as to create a fire by itself and include it in the accidental fire.</p> <p>When asked if they are thinking of taking any additional measures, in order to prevent fires that were started maliciously or negligently, Mr. Kettis said that as the Fire Service they try to inform and enlighten the world with various campaigns, which they also do through the media and from social media, to inform and enlighten the world, what to do, what not to do.</p> <p>"Furthermore, there is cooperation between the services involved and before the fire season, meetings are held in all the District Administrations, where some parameters are entered  how the planning will be done. The deforestation that must precede the fire protection season is very important,” he added.</p> <p>As he said, the penalties have been increased in recent times regarding the occurrence of fires and the causes of provocation, and at this time a new bill is being drafted, which increases the penalties even more.</p> <p> "Sure, “We don't want to invoke the penalties as a deterrent, but within all of this, this is also a factor, a reason that comes to the table, so that fires can be avoided,” he added.</p> <p> <strong >Climate crisis: One day rescues from floods, the other fire response</strong></p> <p>Responding to a question that another phenomenon that is observed is that on one day they were running due to severe weather conditions and on the other due to a fire, Mr. Kettis said that "this is the strange proof, – of which we have been repeating in recent years we will I was saying-, of the change in climatic conditions and the climate crisis, which we are going through.</p> <p>"What a strange example in small Cyprus, an island, for the Fire Service to respond in one province to severe weather events and rescue people who are at risk of flooding and in another province to respond to fires that reach crisis levels and we use even aerial means to suppress them&raquo?, he noted.</p> <p> This, he added, gives the message that the citizen must be prepared for the entire period of the year for all eventualities and act proactively in all parameters and in all eventualities the weather that may occur.</p> <p>Asked if they are worried about this change due to climatic conditions, Mr. Kettis said that it seems that every year these phenomena increase and it is not only that they increase numerically, they also increase in the intensity in which they manifest, "that is, if we take the cases of of rainfall we see this intense rainfall activity mainly locally where we have huge volumes of water, in a very short period of time».</p> <p>Regarding the occurrence of fires, Mr. Kettis said that their occurrence is very easy, but also their intensity and behavior has changed radically and this is what makes the work of firefighting even more difficult, "and here is which we now need to realize both as citizens of the state to pay attention to our activities but also us as prevention and mainly repression services to be more coordinated, more organized, so that we can limit a fire in the initial stage.</p> <p> <strong>We invest in the contribution of citizens</strong></p> <p>Commenting on whether he believes that the institution of the Neighborhood Watch and the Fire Safety Watch will help prevent and deal with fires, Mr. Kettis said that the purpose and goal is to essentially upgrade the Neighborhood Watch, which is a successful institution implemented by the Police and it seems that this is paying off, to Fire Safety Observers.</p> <p>He noted that since last year they have already launched a campaign with gatherings in various areas, which are potentially dangerous in the event of fires, in the presence of the District Councilors and Neighborhood Watchers, and inform them of what they should be aware of, of the mechanism that should to be in contact with PY.</p> <p>"I definitely think that it is an institution that will give maximum results, because although we now also use technology at all levels to be able to work on prevention, you should know that the human contribution, the human eye, vital information , contact with the world is the alpha and omega to have a meaningful result. That is where we invest», he underlined.    </p> <p> <strong>Big impact of fires</strong></p> <p> Asked what impact it has on our society and on in Cyprus every time a hectare of land is burned, Mr. Kettis said that the impact is great.</p> <p>"Think of the action of all the agencies involved in repression. Think about the motorized equipment they use, the manpower  which they use to put it out, the risks that human resources, firefighters in general, organized volunteer groups, put into action and extinguishing the fire. The aerial means that are used to extinguish any fire, the cost that it costs the state when you activate all this mechanism to be able to limit a fire but also the possible loss of life that can come from these dangerous situations, he added. </p> <p> Answering a question if there are statistics for last year and this year in terms of the occurrence of fires, Mr. Kettis said that "we are about at the same level as last year".</p> <p> p> </p> <p>"Although I find that in 2022-2023 we are considerably lower in the number of fires than in previous years. Although a difficult summer is predicted, I repeat on the basis of the dry winter we had and on the basis of the fire protection season which has been extended and on the basis of the environmental conditions that are predicted but we see that they have already started very early, I want to believe that at least it will keep at the same levels,'' he added.</p> <p> <strong>Staffing of field stations, aerial patrols of the Forest Department, fire detection systems</strong></p> <p>When asked if there is sufficient staffing and equipment and if the countryside and other stations were manned with staff, Mr. Kettis said that as the Fire Service they have staffed all the countryside stations, which are 17 in number with hourly staff and in some cases there is and permanent staff.</p> <p> He noted that they have field stations, which operate on a 24-hour basis and in Paphos District, Moniatis, Evrychos and have an organized program of patrols.</p> <p>He added that there are also the aerial patrols with aircraft of the Department of Forestry which in several cases were a catalyst because during peak hours when they were in the air, they detected the fire, hit it directly and at the same time informed the ground forces to respond.</p > <p>He also said that several fire detection systems have been installed in various areas, covering a wide range of the Forestry Department and will be installed in many rural areas, but also in industrial areas, which will detect and analyze fire, and at the same time they will inform, when and if they see that the fire is spreading, the competent services to respond.</p> <p> « level is necessary and mandatory and it is the alpha and the omega”, repeated Mr. Kettis.</p> <p> <strong>At fairly good levels the coordination</strong></p> <p>Answering a related question, Mr. Kettis said that it has been announced by the President of the Republic himself, the Government that they are moving forward with several drastic changes in the next period.</p> <p>"The Civil Defense of Cyprus is being upgraded to Civil Protection. The DG of the Ministry of Agriculture has already been designated since the previous year as the coordinator of the fires, which will reach crisis levels and certainly this upgrade and this umbrella will help catalyze in terms of coordination, without overlooking that the coordination I consider that it exists, it is at a fairly good level, he noted.</p> <p> Mr. Kettis repeated that things are assessed as difficult "and every year we see that they are even more difficult».</p> <p> "I want to assure the world that we are by his side in any case and that the PY is fighting to protect him… It is a wide range of activities and obligations that the PY has towards the citizen and we are trying with the forces we have, with the personnel that we have at the moment, but also the equipment that we have to properly manage», he concluded.</p> <p> <iframe allow=

Source: www.sigmalive.com

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