A 51-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a wildfire that broke out on Thursday morning in low vegetation near the Lagyna-Derveni area, west of Thessaloniki, authorities said.
The arrest was made under Greece’s summary criminal procedure following an investigation by the Fire Service’s arson investigation unit.
According to investigators, the suspect started the fire through negligence while carrying out agricultural work using a vegetation-clearing machine.
Firefighters Continue to Battle the Blaze
The fire spread rapidly after igniting, prompting an ongoing firefighting operation in challenging conditions due to strong winds.
Authorities have not provided further details on the extent of the damage, but firefighting crews remained at the scene as efforts to contain the blaze continued.
Hundreds of Wildfire-Related Penalties This Year
The Fire Service said that since the beginning of the year it has imposed 596 administrative fines totaling €833,993.42 for fire-related violations.
During the same period, authorities have made 214 arrests linked to wildfire incidents, including 188 cases involving alleged negligence and 26 involving suspected intentional arson.
