Four people were arrested in Greece over separate incidents involving fires in Chania, Crete, and Aetolia-Acarnania, the Fire Service said.
The arrests followed incidents on Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30, as authorities continued to enforce strict fire-prevention regulations during a period of heightened wildfire risk.
Three of the arrests took place in the Chania area, while the fourth occurred in Aetolia-Acarnania in western Greece.
Three arrests in Chania
At around 5 p.m. Saturday, a man was arrested in the Plekantina area of Chania for causing a fire through negligence while carrying out work with an aerial work platform.
During the work, electricity cables were cut, causing a fire in dry grass on a roadside slope. The blaze was contained to an area of approximately 20 square meters.
Authorities imposed an administrative fine of €3,867.18 on the man.
Later the same day, another man was arrested in the Galatas area of Chania for using a barbecue in violation of fire-protection regulations.
The incident occurred when the daily fire danger rating was Category 5, indicating extreme danger. He was fined €2,812.50.
A third man was arrested Saturday afternoon in Vamvakopoulo, Chania, for lighting and using fire as part of a cultural event, also in violation of fire-protection regulations.
The fire was used despite the area being under a Category 5 extreme fire danger rating. Authorities imposed a €3,750 administrative fine.
Together, the three fines totaled €10,429.68.
Fire caused by truck malfunction
In Aetolia-Acarnania, a man was arrested Sunday, August 30, under Greece’s expedited arrest procedure for causing a fire through negligence following a malfunction involving a heavy articulated truck.
The fire broke out at approximately 8:10 a.m. in dry grass on a roadside slope along the Ionia Motorway, in the municipality of Xiromero.
The Fire Service said the case was handled by its local arson investigation unit.
Hundreds of arrests this year
The Fire Service said that from January 1 through August 30, 2026, authorities had imposed 755 administrative fines totaling €1,255,258.98.
During the same period, 324 people were arrested under the expedited procedure for causing fires. Of those arrests, 287, or 88.58%, involved negligence, while 37, or 11.42%, involved intentional acts.
The Directorate for Arson Crime Investigation urged the public to strictly follow fire-protection regulations and check the daily fire danger rating in their area through Greece’s official Fire Risk Forecast Map.
Authorities warned that administrative and criminal penalties will be imposed without exception for violations of fire-protection laws.
The Fire Service also stressed that the overwhelming majority of fires continue to be caused by human negligence. It urged people to follow fire-safety measures and avoid activities that could generate sparks or cause ignition in order to protect lives, the environment and property.
