Expert warns further fires could lead to 'environmental collapse' of Greece's central Attica region

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - A prominent Greek expert on Wednesday warned of environmental collapse in the central region of Attica, which includes the capital Athens and is home to some 40% of the country’s total population

“I am very afraid that the combination of new fires and those that have been ongoing in the past few days will lead to the environmental collapse of Attica,” Efthymios Lekkas, a professor of applied geology and disaster management at the University of Athens, told Skai TV.

Reiterating that a new heat wave is expected starting on Thursday, he added: "We have had a very large loss of forests in the region during the last 10-20 years and we’ve reached a borderline level where every bit of forest that is lost means a big impact on the environment of Attica.”

According to Lekkas, a new forestation plan which takes into account the climate crisis should be implemented.

If the current trend of deforestation continues in the region, he said, the region could end up like Dubai, a UAE city in the desert.

Lekkas added that the country needs help coping with forest fires as its existing capabilities fall short.