The Greek government has announced a package of emergency support measures for residents, businesses, and farmers affected by the devastating wildfire in Western Attica, alongside plans to accelerate environmental restoration and compensation procedures.
The measures were presented during a meeting at the Maximos Mansion, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, where officials reviewed the initial assessment of the wildfire’s impact and outlined the government’s recovery strategy.
According to the first official assessment, the fire burned approximately 111,000 stremmas (about 27,400 acres), including around 46,000 stremmas (about 11,400 acres) of forest. Officials said significant sections of woodland were preserved thanks to preventive forestry work carried out before the fire and firefighting operations.
Plans for immediate environmental restoration were also presented, with priority given to anti-erosion measures and the first flood prevention projects. The work is expected to begin by mid-September and be completed by the end of the year to reduce the risk of flooding in the affected areas.
A key focus of the meeting was speeding up state financial assistance. The government announced that, when Parliament reconvenes, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection will introduce legislation to digitize and accelerate damage declarations and compensation payments.
The support package for affected households and businesses includes:
- Suspension of employment contracts, accompanied by a special monthly compensation payment of €534 for three months.
- Suspension and restructuring of tax and social security obligations for six months.
- A 12-month suspension of property auctions.
Following requests from local mayors, business support measures will also be extended to the communities of Psatha and Alepochori.
Mitsotakis also instructed the Greek Agricultural Insurance Organization (ELGA) to speed up the assessment and compensation of damage suffered by agricultural and livestock businesses.
The prime minister said a complete assessment of the number of damaged homes would be available within the next 48 hours and pledged that compensation procedures would move faster than ever before.
He also thanked Helleniq Energy for a €25 million donation that will be used to fund recovery projects following this summer’s wildfires.
Mitsotakis added that preventive forestry work carried out under the Antinero program, totaling approximately €20 million in Western Attica since 2022, had played a significant role in limiting the spread of the wildfire in certain areas.
Concluding the meeting, the prime minister acknowledged the extensive environmental damage but emphasized that Aleppo pine forests have a natural capacity to regenerate, adding that the recovery process would be supported by the necessary government interventions.
