Greece’s Hellenic Fire Service and Civil Protection authorities deployed more than 100 drones across all 13 regions of the country for the 2026 wildfire season, significantly expanding the nation’s forest surveillance and early warning capabilities.

Authorities integrated the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the national forest monitoring mechanism, with the drones operating around the clock to detect fires, monitor high-risk zones, and support frontline emergency crews in real time.

According to Civil Protection sources, officials strategically positioned the drones to monitor forests, peri-urban areas, remote terrain, and regions with a history of destructive fires. The UAVs feature thermal imaging cameras, high-zoom optical cameras, GPS systems, laser rangefinders, and advanced telemetry technology.

Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Evangelos Tournas recently stressed the importance of modernising Greece’s disaster response capabilities during the fifth forum of the Association for the Protection and Development of Mount Hymettus.

“We cannot confront natural disasters with the tools and logic of the past,” Tournas said, highlighting the need to continuously adapt operational planning to the realities created by the climate crisis.

He reiterated that Greece’s operational doctrine centred on surveillance, early warning, rapid mobilisation, and immediate intervention during the critical first moments of a wildfire outbreak.

Attica will receive the largest drone allocation with 27 units, followed by Central Macedonia with 15. Other regional deployments include eight drones in the Peloponnese, seven in both Central Greece and Western Greece, and seven in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

Civil Protection authorities will also deploy three specially equipped mobile drone surveillance units based in Attica, Thessaloniki, and Crete. These mobile centres will provide rapid operational support in areas facing active fires or elevated wildfire risk.

Officials said the units included backup communication systems to ensure uninterrupted transmission of live aerial footage to emergency operation centres. Multi-screen control consoles and advanced processing systems will also allow crews to access critical operational data in real time.

The mobile command centres will have the ability to relocate quickly wherever needed, enabling drones to conduct continuous surveillance flights and transmit live imagery directly from the field.

Authorities explained that the drones monitored forests and high-risk regions both day and night. During night operations, thermal imaging technology allowed operators to detect heat sources, smoke, and potential fire outbreaks even in difficult-to-access terrain.

Live footage streamed directly to regional operations centres and the National Coordination Centre for Crisis Management, while frontline commanders also received the data on tablets and smartphones to maintain a complete operational picture.

Officials said the drones played a crucial role in identifying fires during their earliest stages and guiding firefighting forces with real-time situational awareness.

The UAV systems also incorporated artificial intelligence software capable of calculating precise geographical coordinates of detected incidents instantly. Operators could rapidly zoom in on suspicious thermal signatures or smoke and relay exact locations to firefighters.

Civil Protection sources said the system included an emergency “panic button” feature that instantly enlarged live drone footage on operation centre video walls whenever operators identified a fire hotspot.

Authorities noted that Greece significantly expanded drone usage in wildfire management over recent years. The country operated 40 drones during the 2024 fire season before increasing the fleet to 80 in 2025. The deployment of more than 100 drones this year marked the largest operational rollout to date.