In a week, thousands of properties near forests must have a fire safety technical report

The fire… burned millions of owners, but municipalities across the country signed Circular 28909/848 of the Ministry of Environment and Energy. March 15, 2024 Regarding mandatory Implementing a framework of fire safety measures and procedures For properties located In or near forests and jungles.

The owners are on the verge of a nervous breakdown till the end of March 2024that, Within 10 days they should have received a technical report and a risk assessment form drawn up by a competent technical scientist.Otherwise, heavy fines will be imposed.

Following the technical report, the property owners are obliged within one month, ie Upto 30.04.2024 Submit declaration of application of fire safety measures in which they declare that they are taking the measures prescribed in the report of competent technical scientist in accordance with the regulations to protect their property in case of fire.

The stage is not ready

Even if the owners are found to have done what is mentioned in Ministry of Environment/DAOKA Circular 28909/848 and FEK within record time. 3475/2023 to contact the relevant municipality where the property belongs to submit their supporting documents. The corresponding site on gov.gr is not ready yet!

Ball in municipalities

In other words, the circular drops the ball… to get thousands of supporting documents from citizens, so far, there are no specific instructions on which service to get and how the supporting documents are to be obtained. How will the electronic platform be transferred to gov.gr once it is built?

Special registration and staff

It is certain that the municipal administration should fix it Special registration. It is estimated that the scale of the work is enormous and requires absent personnel, but even if they were present, they should have already been informed and received appropriate instructions and briefings.

Dwellings in forests

Also, in forest or forested settlements, municipalities should ensure timely preparation of risk assessment form and technical report and creation of standardized perimeter protection zones around the boundaries of the settlement. Taking necessary measures in consultation and co-operation with competent services (Forest Service) and compliance with any valid civil defense plans for safe evacuation of settlement in case of emergency.

Restrictions and Penalties

In addition, municipalities are obliged to establish A group of three A forester or agronomist, an engineer and another employee of the municipality's civil defense department. The committee is obliged to carry out sample checks of supporting documents. Administrative and criminal sanctions are imposed on property owners in case of non-compliance with the requirements of the regulation. DAdministrative fines are the revenue of the municipality concerned And according to forecasts they can reach and exceed 54,000 euros depending on the size of the property.

The… Expert Scientist

There is confusion about who is the “expert” that citizens should contact, whether there is registration of relevant professionals and how the owner will know if he falls under the category under the provisions of the new circular.

“Every Beginning is Hard”

“The owner should immediately contact a competent engineer-technical scientist, who will inspect the property and examine whether there are reasons for the obligation to create a fire safety study through available forest maps. The new regulation is a valuable tool, but citizens, professionals and municipalities need reasonable time to organize their movements. It's sure to take. The amount of work is enormous. Every start is difficult, but a step in the right direction as preventive fire protection measures and passive and active fire protection requirements are defined for the first time,” he says. ethnos.gr Civil Engineer Ioannis Grigoropoulos.

What properties does it have?

This applies to all plots containing buildings located on:

A. up to 300 meters from the forest or forest ecosystems or forest areas (as per forest maps).

B. Hilly, semi-hilly meadows, recognized as public, or private, or up to a distance of 300 meters from them for all lands with buildings located in suburban greenery or in notified forests or wooded areas or in parks and groves of cities and residential areas.

What does the assessment include?

According to Ioannis Grigoropoulos, the property, the building, its facilities and the surrounding area are described in the risk assessment form from which the classification of the building is derived. Specifies data documenting the selection of criteria to classify the property based on its risk and fire protection measures (location of the property in relation to the forest area and neighboring buildings. , geometric features, building materials, regional vegetation). Necessary preventive measures are also mentioned, as well as passive fire protection measures and active fire protection mechanisms. A floor plan of the property is essential, showing necessary elements such as, for example, locations of main and ancillary buildings, access to the property, security zones, positions and distances of trees, and distances from neighbours. Buildings, sub-spaces and other data play an important role in fire spread.

Second Marathon for Fire Safety

The property owner has until April 30, 2024 to submit a notification Implementation of fire safety measures He declares that he has taken all necessary measures and meets the requirements of the Ordinance to protect his property in case of fire, as defined in the competent technical scientist's report.

What about layers?

About him Land clearing Annual fire regulations (last 20/2023) and law 5075/2023 and concerns: Plots in the plan without buildings or buildings and plots outside the plan without buildings or buildings within 100 meters of the plan and properties from the plan with building.