Disaster capitalism and the political ecology of wildfire recovery in North Evia, Greece
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Chatzikonstantinou, Ioanna
Apostolopoulou, Elia
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Amid the global proliferation of wildfires, in this article we explore post-disaster fire governance in Greece. Drawing on empirical research into the aftermath of the 2021 North Evia wildfires and engaging with scholarship on the political ecology of fires and disaster capitalism, we examine how the wildfire was framed as an opportunity for spatial restructuring. Our analysis unpacks the mechanisms through which state and non-state actors reconfigured planning and environmental governance to bypass democratic processes, undermine local environmental claims and marginalize resin cultivators, beekeepers, shepherds and farmers in favor of touristification and urban expansion. We argue that, under the guise of the climate emergency, recovery strategies not only displace rural livelihoods but also erode socio-environmental resilience, facilitating processes of wildland gentrification that reproduce and intensify vulnerabilities to climate change-induced catastrophes in fire-prone areas. Elite actors hold a key role in these processes as they attempt to capitalize upon their involvement in climate change adaptation strategies and gear recovery policy towards their interests.
Date Issued
2026-03-01
Date Acceptance
2026-01-08
Citation
Geoforum, 2026, 170
ISSN
0016-7185
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
Geoforum
Volume
170
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
104537
Date Publish Online
2026-01-20