Two men have been arrested after investigators concluded that sparks produced during maintenance work triggered a wildfire in the Kryoneri area of Attica.
According to the Fire Service’s Arson Crimes Directorate, the fire broke out at 7:02 p.m. on July 21 in a forested area. The investigation found that the blaze was caused while two Greek nationals, aged 48 and 46, were replacing light bulbs using an elevated work platform.
Authorities said sparks generated during the operation fell onto dry vegetation, igniting the fire.
Two arrested, fine imposed
Following the investigation, the two men were arrested under Greece’s summary criminal procedure for negligence-related offenses. They were also issued an administrative fine of €1,969.
Hundreds of wildfire-related cases in 2026
The Fire Service also released updated enforcement figures, highlighting the scale of wildfire-related investigations this year.
Between January 1 and July 21, 2026, authorities imposed 590 administrative fines totaling €818,290.30.
During the same period, 210 people were arrested under the summary procedure. Of those arrests, 184 cases—or 87.62%—were linked to negligence, while 26 cases, or 12.38%, involved suspected intentional acts.
