Amidst looming deadlines, some owners are panicking and hiring bulldozers to remove all vegetation, fearing fines. However, government sources emphasize preparation over fines, especially for those at high risk of forest fires.
Property owners bear the cost of drafting the report (which is prepared once and remains valid for subsequent periods), starting at €150 for a residence and varying based on the property’s size and the characteristics identified by the technical scientist. Industry experts explain that the average price for most properties in the country ranges between €400-500, with the cost reaching or exceeding €5,000 for special cases like industrial properties.
Government sources told “THEMA” that the regulation stipulates that technical scientists must identify risks and suggest indicative measures. “The law is flexible. The goal is to have a technical report that identifies the risks, explains where a fire might come from, where the occupants should escape, and how the house can be saved. Citizens should have this study to stay informed, do the necessary pruning, and take additional measures suggested by the scientist later.”
“We can’t have trees leaning against our windows without pruning,” government sources explain. We don’t want bulldozers uprooting everything, but there should be an awareness of the dangers for houses in the woods. Let’s prepare as a society, using moderation and logic. Those at risk must mobilize first. The Fire Department will defend the houses, so we need to make them defensible to save both the homes and the forest.”
For this year, property owners must submit compliance declarations and take necessary actions recommended by technical scientists, such as defining danger zones, issuing building assessment reports, and determining preventive fire protection measures, which include access routes, buffer zones, material storage, regular cleaning, and evacuation plans.
Municipalities will accept declarations and conduct random checks to minimize social impact, prioritizing high-risk areas like institutions housing the elderly or children. They have received €30 million for fire protection of settlements in forest lands, requiring only the technical report this year.
Permits are needed only for construction-related works not exempt from building permits or small-scale construction approvals. No permits are required for preventive measures like clearing vegetation and cutting tree branches. However, small-scale construction approvals are needed for protection zones in certain areas.
Fines for not submitting the risk assessment and technical report range from €0.10 to €0.40 per sq.m. based on risk level, with a minimum fine of €250. After a two-month compliance period, fines are adjusted based on actions taken.
The deadline for declarations and plot cleaning is June 30, submitted via the “Gross Plots” digital platform. Owners are rushing to clear plots, sometimes using bulldozers to avoid fines. The president of the New Voutza Landscaping Association, Amy Krokidis, raised concerns about this, noting a lack of fines for destroying native vegetation has led some owners to clear their plots excessively.
