The 7th Plenary Meeting of FirEUrisk, held in Athens from 5th to 7th March, provided ISIG with an opportunity to work on the field of Rafina-Pikermi area, a Municipality in the Attica Region profoundly affected by the 2018 Mati Fire.
In our perspective, recovering from such a devastating event – which resulted in 104 human casualties and extensive ecological and economic damage – means above all to “build back better” bonds of trust and cooperation between institutions and citizens. Consequently, we are very proud to have facilitated, with the assistance of AUTh, DEMOKRITOS, and KEMEA, a workshop titled “Participatory Approaches in Fire Risk Reduction” involving local stakeholders.
Officials from the Municipality and the Ministry, first responders, and engaged citizens convened in the Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi to exchange perspectives and ideas on how to engage local communities throughout the whole fire risk management cycle. Together, they identified priority actions to be included in local fire prevention strategies.
We perceive this as a crucial initial stride toward establishing a shared approach to mitigating, preventing, and effectively managing the risk of wildfires. This is particularly vital in a context increasingly susceptible to extreme weather conditions exacerbated by climate change.
