Μake us preferred on Google Concerns are mounting in the municipality of Dionysos, northeast of Athens, after large amounts of dry branches, pine needles and bulky waste were found accumulated near a school complex, creating what residents describe as a potential “ticking time bomb” for wildfires.
The area, which has been repeatedly affected by fires in the past, is facing heightened risks amid high temperatures and strong winds during Greece’s wildfire season.
A report by Greek broadcaster MEGA from the site showed piles of waste spread across a wide area, including discarded branches, pine needles, sofas and mattresses. Residents expressed concern over what they described as a lack of adequate action to clear the area.
The waste was not limited to a single location, with abandoned objects reportedly scattered throughout the surrounding area.
Mayor blames illegal dumping
Dionysos Mayor Katerina Maixosoglou said the problem is largely linked to uncontrolled dumping by residents, who leave renovation waste, mattresses, bulky items and garden debris without informing municipal services.
“Dionysos is a beautiful place, a large municipality with forest areas and properties that maintain either small or large gardens. So, you understand that during certain periods there is a very large volume [of waste],” she told MEGA.
“But it is not only that. Many citizens believe that the municipality is responsible for collecting renovations, mattresses and bulky items. Unfortunately, without even informing municipal services, illegal dumping sites are created in areas that do not have visitors throughout the day. People go there very early in the morning or at night and leave things behind,” she added.
Municipality says daily cleanups continue
Asked who is responsible for preventing such situations, the mayor said municipal cleaning services and civil protection teams continuously monitor areas and remove waste using the resources available to them.
However, she stressed that residents also have responsibilities, particularly following a fire safety regulation introduced last year requiring property owners to clear plots and remove the resulting materials themselves.
“Especially in cases like Dionysos, Marathon and Oropos, where we have huge areas, the municipality alone cannot cope with the entire volume,” she said.
Maixosoglou added that municipal workers inspect neighborhoods daily and that equipment is sent to clear problem areas as soon as they are identified.
“Every day we deal with such corners,” she said, adding that some of the dry material comes from residents who cut vegetation in their gardens and later leave it outside.
She noted that pruning is not permitted during the current period and warned that authorities cannot constantly manage new waste deposits during August, when fire danger levels can reach 4 and 5 on the risk map.
The mayor also said that some waste comes from residents and from outside the municipality, further increasing the pressure on local services during the wildfire season.
