The enemy has breached the walls
The evacuation of F-16 fighter jets and the explosions of ammunition dumps at the Nea Anchialos Air Base show in the most dramatic way that the climate crisis is a war and the enemy has breached the walls. For years, scientists have been warning of the dangers of the planet’s warming, especially for our region. Today, though, those fears seem to have lulled us into complacency, as they did not predict that things would get so bad so fast. The mild winter, the high temperatures and strong winds brought the danger to every village and town, to every mountain and beach resort, to every home, to each one of us. The death of two airmen at Karystos a few days ago reminded us of how dangerous each battle with the flames is. The advance of the fire on Thursday at an air base which is a crucial part of the country’s defense shows the magnitude of the threat. Prevention is no longer enough, nor are today’s methods of fighting fires. We need to recognize that, at some point, each one of us will find themselves in the fire’s path and we must be ready to face it in every way we can.
The mild winter, the high temperatures and strong winds brought the danger to every village and town, to every mountain and beach resort, to every home, to each one of us
In villages and on the outskirts of towns the land will have to be cleared of all inflammable material near the first buildings. Reservoirs of water, water cannons and generators must be in place. Citizens will have to be trained as to what they will do at times of danger. They have the desire to do so. They need training. And a plan that is tuned to the needs, dangers and advantages of each area. These will not be difficult to attain. And the benefits will be many. Taking part in such groups encourages greater communication between people at all levels. In the past, this is how country people functioned. They helped each other shear sheep, they helped build each other’s homes and stables, they formed rescue parties when anyone was missing, they stood by each other in war.
Facing the dangers of the time, we and our neighbors are the first line of defense. When even our most sophisticated weapons of war are forced to withdraw before the enemy, the state and citizens do not have the luxury of believing that this crisis is a storm that will pass.
