The Greek government has declared a state of emergency in two municipalities near Thessaloniki following a major wildfire that broke out on Saturday evening, as authorities move to accelerate recovery efforts and provide financial support to those affected.
The municipalities of Oraiokastro and Pavlos Melas requested the emergency designation after the fire caused widespread damage to public infrastructure, homes and businesses.
Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Kostas Katsafados announced that damage assessment teams had already begun inspecting affected areas, paving the way for state funding and compensation measures.
€5 Million for Infrastructure Repairs
Following a coordination meeting at Oraiokastro Town Hall, Katsafados announced that €5 million from the state budget will be allocated to the Region of Central Macedonia and the municipalities of Oraiokastro and Pavlos Melas to restore damaged infrastructure.
Authorities also confirmed that residents whose homes were damaged will receive an initial emergency allowance after official inspections are completed.
According to the deputy minister, engineers from the General Secretariat for Natural Disaster Recovery are carrying out on-site inspections. Homeowners will be able to apply for financial assistance by submitting the inspection report together with the required tax and household documentation to their local municipality.
The initial aid package will cover essential household items and immediate living expenses.
Businesses affected by the wildfire will also be eligible for compensation. Regional authorities will conduct damage assessments, while the government said it will cover 70% of the assessed losses to business assets.
Damage Assessment Underway
Government officials, regional authorities and local mayors met on Monday to coordinate recovery efforts and establish a timetable for compensation and reconstruction.
Speaking after the meeting, Katsafados said the government’s priority is to ensure that no affected resident is left without assistance.
Inspection teams are assessing damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure to determine the scale of financial support required.
The deputy minister also visited three firefighters who remain hospitalized after battling the blaze.
Residents Urged to Follow Civil Protection Orders
Katsafados stressed the importance of following Civil Protection instructions during wildfire emergencies, describing them as measures that save lives, protect property and help preserve the natural environment.
Addressing concerns over privately owned plots of land that had not been cleared of dry vegetation, he said land clearing remains one of Greece’s most effective wildfire prevention measures. Although the deadline for submitting declarations has passed, property owners can still clean their land, while the Fire Service continues to investigate reports of neglected properties.
The deputy minister also noted that investigators from Athens had joined local fire investigators to speed up the inquiry into the cause of the blaze, which was determined within a short period despite the challenging conditions. The fire broke out after nightfall, preventing aerial firefighting aircraft from operating and leaving ground crews, local authorities, volunteers and the armed forces to contain the flames.
First Picture of the Damage
According to preliminary assessments in the municipality of Pavlos Melas, the wildfire damaged two homes, fences at three properties and the yards of another three residences.
The fire also completely destroyed a five-a-side football pitch and eight wooden storage structures, while causing damage to water wells and disrupting parts of the local water supply network.
In the nearby industrial zone of Efkarpia, three business premises were completely destroyed, three sustained partial damage and five suffered damage to their outdoor facilities.
Local officials said the first comprehensive assessment of the damage is expected to be completed within days, allowing compensation payments and reconstruction projects to move forward as quickly as possible.
