Government spokesman defends wildfire reaction

    The government spokesman on Monday emphasised that the state apparatus and services were fully mobilised over the weekend to deal with the scores of wildfires that erupted in the country, especially against the multi-front and massive blaze that scorched northeastern Attica prefecture throughout Sunday.

    Spokesman Evangelos Antonaros, speaking at a regular press briefing, also deflected intense criticism by some quarters of the press over lack of coordination by fire-fighting forces.

    "Coordination of the state apparatus was well organised, from the beginning... with the mobilisation of all of our forces, the one was one: to effectively extinguish the wildfires and to limit the damages to our natural environment and properties of our fellow people. The priority was to avoid any loss of life," he stressed.

    Moreover, the spokesman said reforestation and anti-flood works will begin immediately.

    Asked whether there are indications of an organised plan to set fires intentionally, Antonaros declined to follow up, saying merely that what is now imperative is to put out the fires without any loss of life.

    In response to another press question referring to headlines in some Athens dailies bashing the government over an alleged lack of coordination, the spokesman underlined:

    "Neither I nor you are experts to cite, analyse and judge operational issues," he said, noting that an immediate fire brigade response came in the wake of the eruption, on Friday evening (20.40 GMT), of the devastating initial wildfire at the Sesi site. Antonaros said 14 fire engines and 42 fire-fighters were initially dispatched to the site, which is near the village of Grammatiko, northeast of Athens in Marathon municipality.

    He added that another 35 vehicles and 121 fire-fighters were also dispatched, along with 20 water carriers and 14 aircraft to battle the specific wildfire alone.

    In a related development, Environment and Town Planning Minister George Souflias reminded on Monday that legislation passed in November 2007 mandates the immediate demolition of any structure built on wildfire-ravaged land, with the owner disqualified from seeking judicial or administrative relief.