Greece Bans Burning of Crops Following 70 Wildfires on Tuesday

The announcement by Greece's civil protection authority banning the burning of crop residue follows the outbreak of 70 wildfires across the country on Tuesday alone and the heightened fire risk projected for the coming week.

12.03.2025 09:15

Society

Newsroom

Greece Bans Burning of Crops Following 70 Wildfires on Tuesday

12.03.2025 09:15

Society

Newsroom

The announcement by Greece's civil protection authority banning the burning of crop residue follows the outbreak of 70 wildfires across the country on Tuesday alone and the heightened fire risk projected for the coming week.

Greece’s Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection has announced a nationwide ban on crop burning following an emergency meeting convened on Tuesday.

The decision comes in response to the alarming surge in wildfires across Greece over the past week, with 70 fires reported on Tuesday alone. The majority of these wildfires have been linked to the burning of crop debris and biomass ahead of the 2025 planting season.

The burning ban—along with the corresponding penalties outlined in relevant regulations—is already in effect.

According to the announcement, the ban will remain in place until next Tuesday, citing dangerous weather conditions that increase the risk of wildfires, including high temperatures and very strong, potentially gale-force winds.

Emergency Coordination Meeting

The emergency coordination meeting was attended by:

Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas
Representatives from the Fire Department leadership, the Hellenic Police (ELAS), and the Armed Forces
General Director of Forests at the Ministry of Environment and Energy (YPEN), Evangelos Gkountoufas
Regional Governors and Deputy Governors
Civil Protection representatives