Reforestation to begin without delay, says minister

The government Thursday pledged to reforest the areas scorched by the devastating wildfire east of Athens early this week.

Alternate Environment Minister Sokratis Famelos told Sto Kokkino radio station that authorities were collecting aerial photos of the burned areas and all available legal data regarding buildings and planning in order to designate the areas for tree-planting.

The National Observatory, meanwhile, released images on Friday showing that an estimated area of 1,300 hectares was destroyed by Monday's fire in Mati.

"Anyone who possessed a legal residence and property, permission from the forestry authority, a land use designation, and a building permit, has no reason to be concerned," he said.

"There's no time to waste," Famelos said, adding that trees had to be planted on the mountainside to reduce flood flows.