“The Flames Are Out, but the Risks Remain”
The municipal group “I KALYMNOS allazei” (“Kalymnos Is Changing”) is calling for immediate action by the competent authorities to prevent flooding and other hazards in areas affected by the recent wildfires at Voutsani and Agios Savvas.
In a statement, the group expressed its warm gratitude to the firefighters, volunteers and everyone who took part in battling the flames. It stressed, however, that the responsibility of the authorities does not end once a fire has been extinguished.
Led by Georgios Mavros, the group is calling for the burned areas to be fully recorded and mapped, followed by immediate inspections involving the Municipality of Kalymnos, the South Aegean Region and the Forestry Service, so that the emerging risks can be properly assessed.
It also underlined the urgent need to design and implement erosion-control and flood-prevention measures before the first period of heavy rainfall. The proposed measures include inspecting and clearing streams, culverts, drains and other drainage infrastructure located below the burned areas, as well as identifying sites at risk from erosion, surface runoff and the movement of soil, rocks and other debris.
The group is also seeking a coordinated plan for the restoration of the natural environment and the immediate pursuit of funding for the necessary protective works.
“We must not wait for the rain before we start looking for those responsible,” the statement noted, stressing that action must be taken before the first major downpour—not afterwards, when further damage may already have occurred.
At the same time, “Kalymnos Is Changing” called for a full investigation into the causes of the fires. Once the investigations have been completed, it said, the people of Kalymnos should be informed about what happened and whether there were failures involving essential infrastructure or breaches of the law.
“Kalymnos does not need any more observations. It needs a plan, coordination and immediate action,” the statement concluded, warning that although the fires have been extinguished, their full consequences may not yet have become visible.
