Environmentalists in northern Greece are up in arms over plans to extend by 60 kilometers an already sprawling road network that runs through Seikh Sou, a forest on the outskirts of Thessaloniki. They say the project is illegal, will destroy countless trees and may even increase the risk of fires.

“Seikh Sou has some 190 kilometers of firefighting paths, more than any other suburban forest in Greece,” said Yiannis Tziolas, a spokesperson for the ecologists.“Now, on the pretext of creating better access for fire engines, another 60 kilometers of road will be added,” he said.

According to ecologists, new roads are being built on paths set aside for firefighters which will double in width and probably be surfaced with asphalt in a couple of years. But by creating easier access for motorists, the initiative could lead to the creation of more illegal landfills – the forest already has 10 – which are frequently the source of fires.