Register      Login
International Journal of Wildland Fire International Journal of Wildland Fire Society
Journal of the International Association of Wildland Fire
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Analysis of forest fire fatalities in Greece: 1977–2013

Michalis Diakakis A C , Gavriil Xanthopoulos B and Leontios Gregos A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, Panepistimioupoli, 15784 Zografou, Athens, Greece.

B Hellenic Agricultural Organisation ‘Demeter’, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Terma Alkmanos, Ilisia, 11528, Athens, Greece.

C Corresponding author. Email: diakakism@geol.uoa.gr

International Journal of Wildland Fire 25(7) 797-809 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF15198
Submitted: 11 March 2015  Accepted: 16 April 2016   Published: 22 June 2016

Abstract

Although forest fires are considered an integral part of forest ecosystems, the abundance of human activities in forested areas has led to a significant number of human casualties and to important effects on properties and infrastructure. Over recent decades, Greece has suffered extensive forest fire disasters, with a significant number of fatalities being recorded. However, there is no coherent inventory of human losses from fires in the country. This work develops and examines a database of 208 fatalities occurring in 78 forest fires in Greece between 1977 and 2013 to provide a better understanding of the circumstances under which fatal incidents occur. Around three-quarters of the victims were civilians; the remainder were firefighters, forest service officials and aircraft crews. Most deaths occurred in July and August, generally under adverse meteorological conditions. Male and older individuals showed an overrepresentation among the victims. A significant number of fatalities occurred in open space, mostly in wildland–urban interface areas and in tall forest vegetation. Late evacuation on foot or in a vehicle and firefighting were the most common activities of victims at the time of the incidents.


References

Ashley ST, Ashley WS (2008) Flood casualties in the United States. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 47, 805–818.
Flood casualties in the United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Athanasiou M, Xanthopoulos G (2010) Fire behaviour of the large fires of 2007 in Greece. In ‘Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Forest Fire Research’, 15–18 November 2010, Coimbra, Portugal. (Ed. DG Viegas) pp. 1–15. (ADAI/CEIF University of Coimbra: Coimbra, Portugal)

Athanasiou M, Xanthopoulos G (2013) Observations of forest fire spread with firebrands. In ‘Proceedings of the 16th Panhellenic Forestry Conference on the Protection and Management of the Greek Forests in a Period of Economic Crisis and the Challenge of Natural Forestry’, 6–9 October 2013, Thessaloniki, Greece. pp. 30–38. (Hellenic Forestry Society: Thessaloniki, Greece)

Beringer J (2000) Community fire safety at the urban/rural interface: the bushfire risk. Fire Safety Journal 35, 1–23.
Community fire safety at the urban/rural interface: the bushfire risk.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Blanchi R, Leonard J, Haynes K, Opie K, James M, de Oliveira FD (2014) Environmental circumstances surrounding bushfire fatalities in Australia 1900–2011. Environmental Science & Policy 37, 192–203.
Environmental circumstances surrounding bushfire fatalities in Australia 1900–2011.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Butler BW, Bartlette RA, Bradshaw LS, Cohen JD, Andrews PL, Putnam T, Mangan R, Brown H (1998) Fire behavior associated with the 1994 South Canyon fire on Storm King mountain, Colorado. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Research paper RMRS-RP-9. (Ogden, UT)

Cardil A, Molina DM (2015) Factors causing victims of wildland fires in Spain (1980–2010). Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal 21, 67–80.
Factors causing victims of wildland fires in Spain (1980–2010). Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhvFCqt7fE&md5=f6118dd604e9023bbb03b3723c701c2aCAS |

Cary GJ, Keane RE, Gardner RH, Lavorel S, Flannigan MD, Davies ID, Li C, Lenihan JM, Rupp TS, Mouillot F (2006) Comparison of the sensitivity of landscape-fire-succession models to variation in terrain, fuel pattern, climate and weather. Landscape Ecology 21, 121–137.
Comparison of the sensitivity of landscape-fire-succession models to variation in terrain, fuel pattern, climate and weather.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

CDC (2006) Wildfire-related deaths, Texas March 12–20, 2006. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbibity and Mortality Weekly Report, 56(30), 757–760.

Crompton RP, McAneney KJ, Chen K, Pielke RA, Haynes K (2010) Influence of location, population, and climate on building damage and fatalities due to Australian bushfire: 1925–2009. Weather, Climate, and Society 2, 300–310.
Influence of location, population, and climate on building damage and fatalities due to Australian bushfire: 1925–2009.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Diakakis M, Mavroulis S, Deligiannakis G (2012) Floods in Greece, a statistical and spatial approach. Natural Hazards 62, 485–500.
Floods in Greece, a statistical and spatial approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Dimitrakopoulos AP, Mitsopoulos ID, Gatoulas K (2010) Assessing ignition probability and moisture of extinction in a Mediterranean grass fuel. International Journal of Wildland Fire 19, 29–34.
Assessing ignition probability and moisture of extinction in a Mediterranean grass fuel.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Flannigan MD, Van Wagner CE (1991) Climate change and wildfire in Canada. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 21, 66–72.
Climate change and wildfire in Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fowler CT (2003) Human health impacts of forest fires in the Southern United States: a literature review. Journal of Ecological Anthropology 7, 39–63.
Human health impacts of forest fires in the Southern United States: a literature review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Handmer J, O’Neil S, Killalea D (2010) Review of fatalities in the February 7, 2009 bushfires. Centre for Risk and Community Safety, RMIT University, Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre. (Bushfire CRC: Melbourne, Vic.).

Haynes K, Tibbits A, Coates L, Ganewatta G, Handmer JW, McAneney J (2008) 100 years of Australian civilian bushfire fatalities: exploring the trends in relation to the ‘stay or go policy’. (Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre: Melbourne, Vic.).

Haynes K, Handmer J, McAneney J, Tibbits A, Coates L (2010) Australian bushfire fatalities 1900–2008: exploring trends in relation to the ‘Prepare, stay and defend or leave early’ policy. Environmental Science & Policy 13, 185–194.
Australian bushfire fatalities 1900–2008: exploring trends in relation to the ‘Prepare, stay and defend or leave early’ policy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jonkman SN, Kelman I (2005) An analysis of the causes and circumstances of flood disaster deaths. Disasters 29, 75–97.
An analysis of the causes and circumstances of flood disaster deaths.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 15720382PubMed |

Kailidis DS (Ed) (1981) ‘Forest Protection. Part One, Forest Fires’ 2nd edn. (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki: Thessaloniki, Greece)

Keeley JE (2009) Fire intensity, fire severity and burn severity: a brief review and suggested usage. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, 116–126.
Fire intensity, fire severity and burn severity: a brief review and suggested usage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Krusel N, Petris SN (1994) A study of civilian deaths in the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the International Conference on Fire and Forest Meteorology 12, 112–119.

Lavee H, Kutiel P, Segev M, Benyamini Y (1995) Effect of surface roughness on runoff and erosion in a Mediterranean ecosystem: the role of fire. Geomorphology 11, 227–234.
Effect of surface roughness on runoff and erosion in a Mediterranean ecosystem: the role of fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Llasat MC, Llasat-Botija M, Lopez LA (2009) Press database on natural risks and its application in the study of floods in Northeastern Spain. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 9, 2049–2061.
Press database on natural risks and its application in the study of floods in Northeastern Spain.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Maheras G (2002) Forest fires in Greece. The analysis of the phenomenon affecting both natural and human environment. The role of sustainable development in controlling fire effects. MSc thesis, Lund University, Sweden.

Mangan RJ (1999) Wildland fire fatalities in the United States: 1990–1998. USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center, Technical Report 9951–2808–MTDC. (Missoula, MT)

Mangan RJ (2007) Wildland firefighter fatalities in the United States: 1990–2006. National Wildfire Coordinating Group, Safety and Health Working Team, National Interagency Fire Center PMS 841. (Boise, ID)

Martell DL, Sun H (2008) The impact of fire suppression, vegetation, and weather on the area burned by lightning-caused forest fires in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 38, 1547–1563.
The impact of fire suppression, vegetation, and weather on the area burned by lightning-caused forest fires in Ontario.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McGuire LC, Ford ES, Okoro CA (2007) Natural disasters and older US adults with disabilities: implications for evacuation. Disasters 31, 49–56.
Natural disasters and older US adults with disabilities: implications for evacuation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17367373PubMed |

Morrow BH (1999) Identifying and mapping community vulnerability. Disasters 23, 1–18.
Identifying and mapping community vulnerability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK1M3itVCrtA%3D%3D&md5=7c25c132fcc51958ec6ca2ce9c809c55CAS | 10204285PubMed |

Pausas JG, Vallejo VR (1999) The role of fire in European Mediterranean ecosystems. In ‘Remote Sensing of Large Wildfires in the European Mediterranean Basin’ (Ed. E Chuvieco) pp. 3–16. (Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg)

Price OF, Bradstock RA (2013) The spatial domain of wildfire risk and response in the Wildland Urban Interface in Sydney, Australia. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 13, 3385–3393.

Prior TD, Paton D (2008) Understanding the context: the value of community engagement in bushfire risk communication and education. Observations following the East Coast Tasmania bushfires of December 2006. Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies 2, 1–14.

Proudley M (2008) Fire, families and decisions. Australian Journal of Emergency Management 23, 37–43.

Rappaport EN (2000) Loss of life in the United States associated with recent Atlantic tropical cyclones. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 81, 2065–2073.
Loss of life in the United States associated with recent Atlantic tropical cyclones.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rosenkoetter MM, Covan EK, Cobb BK, Bunting S, Weinrich M (2007) Perceptions of older adults regarding evacuation in the event of a natural disaster. Public Health Nursing (Boston, Mass.) 24, 160–168.
Perceptions of older adults regarding evacuation in the event of a natural disaster.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rothermel RC (1993) Mann Gulch fire: a race that couldn’t be won. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, General Technical Report, INT-299. (Ogden, UT)

Schoennagel T, Nelson CR, Theobald DM, Carnwath GC, Chapman TB (2009) Implementation of National Fire Plan treatments near the wildland–urban interface in the western United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106, 10706–10711.
Implementation of National Fire Plan treatments near the wildland–urban interface in the western United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXos1ajsbc%3D&md5=03746061ba35afab17a9d857e03d2d9bCAS | 19506256PubMed |

Shakesby RA (2011) Post-wildfire soil erosion in the Mediterranean: review and future research directions. Earth-Science Reviews 105, 71–100.
Post-wildfire soil erosion in the Mediterranean: review and future research directions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Shakesby RA, Doerr SH (2006) Wildfire as a hydrological and geomorphological agent. Earth-Science Reviews 74, 269–307.
Wildfire as a hydrological and geomorphological agent.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Trabaud L (1994) Post-fire plant community dynamics in the Mediterranean basin. In ‘The Role of Fire in Mediterranean-type Ecosystems’ (Eds JM Moreno, C Oechel) pp. 1–15 (Springer-Verlag: Berlin)

USDA (2015) Firefighters on the ground. USDA Fire and Aviation Management. Available at http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/ground.html) [Verified 23 May 2016]

USFA (2012) Firefighter fatalities in the United States in 2011. US Fire Administration. Available at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fat11.pdf [Verified 23 May 2016]

USFA (2013) Firefighter fatalities in the United States in 2012. US Fire Administration. Available at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fat12.pdf [Verified 23 May 2016]

USFA (2015) US fire statistics. US Fire Administration (Emmitsburg, MD). Available at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics [Verified 23 May 2016]

Vélez Muñoz R (2007) Experiences in Spain of community based fire management. In ‘Book of Abstracts of the IV International Wildland Fire Conference’, 13–17 May 2007, Seville, Spain. p. 128 (abstract) (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente: Madrid, Spain)

Viegas DX (2009) Recent forest fire related accidents in Europe. Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission, JRC Scientific and Technical Reports JRC 56107 EUR 24121 EN. (JRC: Brussels).

Viegas DX, Viegas MT (2005) Human behaviour associated to fatal accidents of 2003 in Portugal. In ‘Eighth International Wildland Firefighter Safety Summit: Human Factors—10 Years Later’, (Eds BW Butler, ME Alexander). pp. 1–15 (International Association of Wildland Fire: Missoula, MT)

Whittaker J, Eriksen C, Haynes K (2015) Gendered responses to the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria, Australia. Geographical Research
Gendered responses to the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Worfolk JB (2000) Heat waves: their impact on the health of elders. Geriatric Nursing 21, 70–77.
Heat waves: their impact on the health of elders.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD387hsV2htg%3D%3D&md5=35ba2c7a97d8ce7228617f734aae769eCAS | 10769330PubMed |

Xanthopoulos G (1988) Greek forest fires and property damage: a brief history. In ‘Protecting people and homes from wildfire in the interior West: proceedings of the symposium and workshop’. (Eds W. C. Fischer, S. F. Arno) USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-251, pp. 199–200. (Ogden, UT)

Xanthopoulos G (1999) The 1998 forest fire season in Greece: a forest fire expert’s account. International Forest Fire News 20, 57–60.. Available at http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/country/gr/gr_12.htm. [Verified 23 May 2016]

Xanthopoulos G (2006) Forest fires in wildand–urban interface zones: a complicated problem. NAGREF – Quarterly Publication of the National Agricultural Research Foundation 24, 4–9. .

Xanthopoulos G (2007a) Forest fire related deaths in Greece: confirming what we already know. In ‘Book of Abstracts of the IV International Wildland Fire Conference’, 13–17 May 2004, Seville, Spain. p. 129 (abstract) (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente: Madrid, Spain)

Xanthopoulos G (2007b) Olympic flames. Wildfire Mazazine 16, 10–18.

Xanthopoulos G (2008) Who should be responsible for forest fires? Lessons from the Greek experience. In ‘Proceedings of the II International Symposium on Fire Economics, Planning and Policy: A Global View’, 19–22 April 2004, Cordoba, Spain. (Eds A González-Cabán) pp. 189–202. (USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station: Albany CA)

Xanthopoulos G (2009) Lessons learned from the dramatic fires of 2007 and 2009 in Greece. In ‘Proceedings of Technical Meeting of the Fire Service: Capacity for Managing Forest Fires’, 18–19 November 2009, Girona, Spain.

Xanthopoulos G (2012) The phenomenon of forest fire as an issue: characteristics, mitigation approaches and holistic management. In ‘The Forest, an Integrated Approach’. (Eds AC Papageorgiou, G Karetsos, G Katsadorakis) pp. 187–200 (WWF Hellas: Athens, Greece)

Xanthopoulos G (2015) Wildfires and safety issues in Greece. In ‘Current International Perspectives on Wildland Fires, Mankind and the Environment’. (Eds B Leblon, M Alexander) (Nova Science Publishers: Huntington, NY)

Xanthopoulos G, Kousaridas I (2014) Hose laying rates for forest firefighting in Greece. In ‘Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Forest Fire Research on “Advances in Forest Fire Research”’, 17–20 November 2014. Coimbra, Portugal. (Ed. DX Viegas). pp. 1411–1415. (ADAI/CEIF, University of Coimbra: Coimbra, Portugal).

Xanthopoulos G, Viegas DX, Caballero D (2009) The fatal fire entrapment of Artemida (Greece) 2007. In ‘Recent Forest Fire Related Accidents in Europe’ (Ed. DX Viegas), pp. 65–75 (JRC Scientific and Technical Reports: Brussels)

Xanthopoulos G, Bushey C, Arnol C, Caballero D (2012) Characteristics of wildland–urban interface areas in Mediterranean Europe, North America and Australia and differences between them. In ‘Proceedings of the 1st International Conference in Safety and Crisis Management in the Construction, Tourism and SME Sectors (1st CoSaCM)’, 24–28 June 2011, Nicosia, Cyprus. (Eds G Boustras, N Boukas) pp. 702–734 (Brown Walker Press: Boca Raton, FL)