Greece has initiated a collaborative effort with Israel to harness artificial intelligence (AI) technology for the early detection of wildfires, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
(Photo : SAKIS MITROLIDIS/AFP via Getty Images)
This photograph taken on September 2, 2023 shows a wildfire spreading near the village of Lefkimmi, near Alexandroupoli, northern Greece. Described as a “mega-fire” by experts, the forest fire in Dadia, an area protected by the European network Natura 2000, has so far destroyed more than 81,000 hectares, or almost half of the surface affected by fires since the start of the summer in Greece.
Greece Talks to Israel to Harness AI Tech for Early Detection of Wildfires
Following discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia, Cyprus, Mitsotakis also proposed the inclusion of Israel in European Union (EU) civil protection initiatives to enhance the coordination of firefighting endeavors.
Numerous countries, including Israel and Cyprus, have deployed firefighting aircraft and crews to assist Greece in battling wildfires that have devoured extensive forested areas over the past two months. These wildfires included the EU’s largest-recorded blaze, which tragically took the lives of 20 individuals.
Mitsotakis expressed Greece’s willingness to serve as a testing ground for Israeli AI technology designed for the early detection of wildfires.
“We are already talking to Israel about AI-based solutions that will offer us early detection capabilities,” Mitsotakis noted in an Associated Press report.
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Greece Wildfire Is Largest Wildfire in the EU
A massive forest fire in Greece has been declared the largest wildfire ever documented in the EU. In response to this crisis, the EU has mobilized nearly half its firefighting air fleet to combat the inferno.
This devastating event, occurring in northeastern Greece, has taken the lives of at least 20 individuals and has been deemed an “ecological disaster” by experts.
The EU’s response to this dire situation included deploying 11 planes and one helicopter from its airborne fleet, in addition to 407 firefighters, to aid Greece in containing the flames located north of Alexandroupoli city, as disclosed by spokesman Balazs Ujvari.
The EU’s civil protection agency reported that this wildfire has consumed a vast expanse of land, covering more than 810 square kilometers (310 square miles), exceeding the size of New York City.
It represents the most extensive wildfire encountered by the EU since the commencement of data recording by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) in 2000.
Since the wildfire outbreak on August 19, the remains of 20 individuals have been discovered, with 18 victims identified as migrants, including two children. These tragic discoveries were made in a region often exploited as an entry point from Turkey.
Authorities from Greece’s fire service have reported that the wildfire remains uncontrollable within the boundaries of the Dadia National Park in the northeast region.
In light of this devastating situation, forest ranger Dora Skartsis reflected on a previous catastrophe in 2011, expressing sorrow over the loss of “everything that was regenerated since” in the past few days.
Skartsis, who also leads a group dedicated to biodiversity conservation in the region, underscored the enormity of the disaster, emphasizing its classification as a significant ecological catastrophe.
The affected forest plays a pivotal economic role, supporting logging, beekeeping, and tourism activities in Evros, one of Greece’s economically disadvantaged regions.
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