Greece to deploy record number of firefighters this year amid global warming, minister says

ATHENS (Reuters) -Greece will deploy a record number of firefighters this year in anticipation of "bad scenarios" ahead, its climate crisis minister said on Thursday, after a succession of destructive wildfires.

Weather across the globe has become more erratic and extreme due to the impact of climate change and 2024 was the hottest year on record, the World Meteorological Organization has said.

In Greece, summers have become increasingly hot and dry, with rapidly changing winds fueling more destructive wildfires that are difficult to tame. Last August, during Greece's hottest summer on record, a woman died and 10,000 hectares of land were burnt in a wildfire that barrelled from a forest into Athens' northern suburbs.

Some 18,000 firefighters will be available this year, which is the highest number on record, assisted by thousands of volunteers, Civil Protection and Climate Crisis Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis said.

"We shouldn't be fooled by the fact that climate conditions this year have seemed to be a little milder than in previous years," he said. "The bad scenarios lie ahead."

Kefalogiannis made his comments during a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss preparedness ahead of the official wildfire season, which begins on May 1.

In a major shift in its long-standing firefighting tactics, Greece last year decided to start dispatching aerial and ground forces in the first critical hours after a fire breaks out and also to step up patrols, measures which have helped to contain damage to land and property.

The Mediterranean country has also earmarked some 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) to buy new aircraft, meteorological stations and drones to improve its capabilities against wildfires and other natural disasters.

Some 80 drones with thermal cameras - nearly double last year's number - will be available this year, said Kefalogiannis, a move that aims to accelerate the detection of wildfires.

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(Reporting by Angeliki KoutantouEditing by Gareth Jones)