According to the data of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), the fires, in addition to the loss of human life and animals, have affected more than 1,500,000 stremmas and this implies a cost of at least 1 billion euros. The land burnt will probably increase further in the next days.
However, a first estimate helps to reflect on the magnitude of the tragedy so that everyone does everything possible to prevent it from happening again.
The amount of 1 billion euros is based on reports of European organizations, that Dr. Haris Doukas, NTUA professor, cited speaking to “Naftemporiki.” According to the reports , 85 million stremmas were burnt in the European Union in the period 2000-2017 and the damage was estimated at 54 billion euros.
These figures imply an average cost due to fires of around 650 euros per stremma based on 2017 prices. If the cumulative burden of inflation is also included, the cost amounts to 1.2 billion euros. This cost, according to Dr. Doukas, does not include, however, the cost of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere due to the fires.
He explained that a European Union emissions trading system operates in the European Union, and according to this the cost for one ton is about 90 euros. This means another €1,000 in potential costs per stremma due to the carbon dioxide by the fires. Undoubtedly, the destruction of forests has incalculable consequences. Measurable costs include the loss of biodiversity and the services offered by ecosystems, the restoration of burnt areas, the destruction of agricultural land and crops, the damage caused to infrastructure (roads, communications, electricity, etc.), as well as the costs for dealing with fires.
