Drought sees fires beginning as early as March

The fire season may formally begin on May 1, but forest fires started at the end of March this year, causing particular concern. Indicatively, a fire broke out on Mt Taygetos, southern Greece on March 26, followed by another in the Pieria range in the north, at an altitude where they are not a common occurrence, while 250 hectares burnt in Ierapetra on Crete last weekend. ‘We have had a winter with high temperatures and drought, resulting in a high availability of dead forest matter, which acts as fuel and tinder. If there is a spark, a fire can break out,’ pyro-meteorologists who also analyzed the scenarios for the coming years based on the study of climate change models said in comments to Kathimerini.

More than 20 otter cubs rescued after flooded rivers wash their homes away

More than 20 otter cubs have been separated from their parents by heavy rainfall this year.

Sustained wet weather in January, February and March caused rivers across the country to burst their banks, forcing many otters to find drier ground.

Dave Webb, founder of the UK Wild Otter Trust in Umberleigh, Devon, said the charity had rescued 11 cubs in March alone.

Greece will set up a national shelter network in response to woman’s slaying outside police station

Greece’s minister in charge of police announced plans Monday to set up a nationwide network of domestic violence shelters, days after the fatal stabbing of a woman outside a police station.

The April 2 killing of 28-year Kyriaki Griva occurred as she was seeking police protection from her ex-boyfriend. The man was arrested and taken into custody after the stabbing north of Athens that has refocused national attention on domestic violence.

Michalis Chrisochoidis, the minister for citizens’ protection, said Monday that shelters would be set up in every police precinct in Greece under a program that would be formally launched later this week.