Greece deploys satellite system to tackle blazes

As wildfires continue to burn across much of Europe, developments happening in Greece could help make future blazes easier to anticipate and manage.

Two firefighters died in a helicopter crash over the weekend as they struggled to contain a blaze to the west of the capital, Athens, but the Financial Times reports that a satellite system called the Hellenic Fire System, developed by the Greek government and the European Space Agency, has begun sending images back to Earth.

Firefighters are still learning how to use the four-satellite system, which is expected to become fully functional in September, but even early results are already making a difference.

"We've come up with a solution, but now the most difficult part is the adoption of that solution," said Dimitris Bliziotis, the Hellenic Space Center's Earth Observation program manager. "The fire brigade is used to the technology they were using before, so now we have to train them on how to process the new kinds of data."

German company OroraTech has helped develop the technology, which repeatedly sweeps areas down to a very small concentration, looking out for isolated blazes or places that could potentially burst into flame. Software can then be applied to assess the likelihood of a fire developing, and judge the impact it might have on the terrain and how it might spread.

"It doesn't just take pictures," said Ioannis Lantouris, OroraTech's head of operations in Greece. "We process the pictures on the satellite and then send them down to Earth."

"It changes the whole way we perceive and manage wildfires," he added. "You don't need a human to call the fire department first. And when you do detect the signs, you can analyze them faster."

Theodore Giannaros, a senior wildfire meteorologist at the National Observatory of Athens, told Agence France-Presse that this year's blazes were "definitely one of the worst fire crises I've seen in the past, maybe eight to 10 years". Fire department communications chief Vassilis Vathrakoyannis said, "The situation has clearly improved compared to the last few days, but there are still many scattered hot spots, which means that forces remain on site to prevent a possible flare-up."

Compensation plan

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss compensation for people affected by the blazes around Athens, which are believed to have burned through more than 14,000 hectares in just five days, and which the Euronews website reported are thought to have been caused by a spark on power cables in a seaside village 85 kilometers away from the capital.

In accordance with concerns about fire risks, some parks have been closed and restrictions put on public activities that may increase the likelihood of blazes, but despite this, local authorities reported 33 people had been arrested between June 29 and August 2 for starting fires — 30 for negligence and three on suspicion of arson. Most negligence cases were linked to rule-breaking farm work and activities such as welding.

julian@mail.chinadailyuk.com