FINAL FORUM of the Project „through pREvention to Preserve the natural beauty Of the Rhodope mounTain” REPORT Smolyan, (3 rd part) ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑ ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑΣ - ΘΡΑΚΗΣ

RESULTS Developed joint plan for managing the forces and the means in forest fires in the cross-border region Smolyan – Xanthi І. Analysis of the forest by class of fire danger ІІ. Analysis of relief, roads and water sources for extinguishing forest fires ІІІ. Analysis of previous fires ІV. Identification of the places with greatest probability of occurrence of forest fires. Establishment of protection zones of material values: cities, resorts, recreation areas and infrastructure V. Information about the forces and means for extinguishing forest fires in the border region Smolyan-Xanthi VІ. Measures for safety VІІ. Graphical part

Joint plan for forest fires CONCLUSIONS During the last 10 years and in longer periods of drought and high temperatures during summer months in Smolyan-Xanthi, there has been an increase in the number of forest fires. This in turn should lead to a change in the interaction between the institutions responsible for preventing and extinguishing forest fires. Given the findings made above, the following main activities of the Implementation Plan can be derived for the coming years: 1. Daily calculation of an index of fire hazard, plus spreading and distributing the information to the public. 2. Based on accumulated data from the statistical calculation of the index of fire danger, areas of danger in the region Smolyan – Xanthi need to be differentiated and delineated. Green - a regular danger, yellow – increased danger and red - high threat of wildfires.

Joint plan for forest fires – main activities 3. Based on the fire danger zoning of Smolyan - Xanthi, several proposals with measures to regulate construction must be made to the municipal councils of urban areas. 4. To annually update maps and data for the United Rescue System in the territory of Smolyan - Xanthi. 5. Maintaining a system for early notification and exchange of information for forest fires between the forces of United Rescue System in the territory of Smolyan - Xanthi.

RESULTS Developed joint plan for managing the forces and the means in case of disaster in the cross-border region Smolyan – Xanthi І. Characteristic of the area Smolyan – Xanthi 1. Physiographic characteristic 1.1. Territorial-administrative division of the region 1.2. Hydrography Rivers Dam lakes, ponds and small dams 1.3. Relief 2. Climate 3. Seismic characteristics 4. Characteristic of the transport 4.1. Roads from the national road network 4.2. Bridges 5. Potentially dangerous objects

Joint Disaster Plan CONTENTS ІІ. Information for past disasters 1. Official data for earthquakes, floods and industrial accidents 2. Estimation of the consequences of previous isasters 3. Creation of maps of past isasters ІІІ. Analysis and evaluation of the risk from disasters in the border area – Smolyan – Xanthi ІV. Safety measures for protecting the population and reducing the risk from disasters in the cross-border area Smolyan - Xanthi 1. Measures for preventing or reducing the consiquences of distasters in case of an earthquake in the region Smolyan – Xanthi 2. Measures for protecting or reducing the consiquences of inundations in the region of Smolyan - Xanthi 3. Measures to prevent or reduce the effects of biological contamination in the region Smolyan - Xanthi 4. Measures to prevent or reduce landslide risk and protection from landslides in the region Smolyan – Xanthi

Joint Disaster Plan CONTENTS 5. Measures for prevention and reduction of the conflagrations in the region Smolyan - Xanthi 5.1. For industrial facilities and the critical infrastructure 5.2. For forest massifs 6. Measures for reducing the consiquences of heavy snowfall, snowstorms and icing in the region Smolyan – Xanthi V. Order of early warning and announcements of the executive power in Smolyan; of the components of the unified rescue system, working in the area of Smolyan and administrative region of Xanthi; of the forces and resources for action during disasters in Xanthi and the people, in case of danger or disasters VІ. Information about the “component” teams of the United Rescue System in the border region of Smolyan - Xanthi VІІ. Map showing infrastructure, dams, ponds, micro-dams and other components of the United Rescue System

Joint Disaster Plan CONCLUSIONS During the last years there has been an increase in the number of disastrous situations in the border region of Smolyan – Xanthi. Therefore it is crucial to create the necessary conditions for informing the society at the right time and building and maintaining the rescue system in permanent readiness to act immediately in environmental distress. For improving these activities it is necessary to: 1. Hold an annual public instruction on distress skills and reaction. 2. Building contemporary and reliable systems for an opportune warning of the population in the border area. 3. Keeping all dangerous facilities in good working order – dams, ponds, places working with dangerous substances, bridges, roads, etc. 4. Construction of information exchange system between Xanthi and Smolyan. 5. Training and equipping volunteer formations in the border region Smolyan – Xanthi for taking actions in crisis situations and improving the reaction capabilities of the ECC. 6. Exchange of good practices for distress reaction between the parts of the United Rescue System Smolyan – Xanthi.

RESULTS – CREATED SYSTEM FOR EARLY WARNING Logical scheme of the system Integrated multifunctional Geographic Information System Input from satellite programs MODIS of NASA and METEOSAT of ESA Operative activities for localization, bringing under control and extinguishing the fire Information received from the installed meteorological equipment of the towers

RESULTS – installed 15 number meteorological towers in Region Smolyan The meteorological towers have lattice construction and they are evenly distributed on forest territories which are state or municipal properties. They are concentrated along the state border with the Republic of Greece (7 towers). On the all 15 towers are installed PTZ cameras, meteorological devices consist of meteorological station with four external sensors (sensor for external temperature, sensor for external dampness, anemometer and sensor for rains). The data is transferred to console with display and interface to GPRS modem for transferring the meteorological parameters to the server based in Regional Governance “Fire Safety and Protection of Population” in real time. Each of the towers is autonomous as the equipment is powered by solar panels.

DETERMINATION THE POSITION OF THE 15 METEOROLOGICAL TOWERS