Μake us preferred on Google Six people were arrested Wednesday and Thursday in Ilia, Evros, Attica, Chios, Thesprotia and Fokida for causing fires or violating fire prevention laws.
Despite a Category 4, or “very high,” wildfire risk in affected areas, one of those arrested allegedly started a fire by discarding a lit cigarette, another lit an outdoor fire to cook food, while others carried out hot work despite warnings and repeated appeals from authorities for extreme caution.
According to the Fire Service, investigators from local Arson Crimes Investigation Units and the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes were immediately deployed to investigate the incidents:
- In Chavari, Ilia, a 63-year-old Greek man was arrested for negligent arson following a fire that broke out on August 12, 2026, in the Chavari community of Ilida municipality. According to investigators, the fire was caused by a discarded cigarette on agricultural land belonging to the suspect. The blaze spread rapidly to neighboring farmland containing olive trees. The man was arrested under Greece’s in flagrante procedure and fined 2,185.63 euros.
- In Didymoteicho, Evros, a 63-year-old Greek woman was arrested by Fire Service investigators for negligent arson following a fire on August 12, 2026, in the Agia Fotini area. Investigators said the blaze started when she lit a fire outdoors to prepare food. Approximately 0.3 hectares of dry grass on plots of land were burned. She was arrested under the in flagrante procedure and fined 2,964.84 euros.
- In Perama, Attica, a 76-year-old Greek man, who was responsible for a work site, was arrested by Piraeus arson investigators over hot work being carried out on August 12, 2026, less than 300 meters from a park, in violation of existing legislation. A Category 4, or very high, fire risk was in effect for the area at the time. He was arrested under the in flagrante procedure and fined 3,000 euros.
- On Chios, a Greek woman was arrested for carrying out hot work on August 12, 2026, in the Omiroupoli municipal unit of Chios, in violation of existing legislation on a day when the wildfire risk was at Category 4, or very high. She was fined 3,000 euros.
- In Thesprotia, a Greek man was arrested by local arson investigators for negligent arson following a fire that broke out on August 13, 2026, in the Skandalo community of Souli municipality. According to investigators, the suspect started a fire in a pile of dry grass on a property after discarding a cigarette. He was arrested under the in flagrante procedure and fined 1,093.75 euros.
- In Panormos, Dorida, in the regional unit of Fokida, a Greek man was arrested by Itea Fire Service investigators for using an angle grinder at 11:36 a.m. on August 13, 2026, in violation of existing legislation while a Category 4, or very high, wildfire risk was in effect. He was arrested under the in flagrante procedure and fined 3,000 euros.
From January 1 through August 13, 2026, authorities have imposed a total of 703 administrative fines worth 1,097,530.71 euros and made 292 arrests under the in flagrante procedure. Of those arrests, 262, or 89.73%, involved negligence, while 30, or 10.27%, involved intentional acts.
The Fire Service said the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes and local arson investigation units are fully deployed and operating at heightened readiness because strong winds and high temperatures have created particularly favorable conditions for fires to start and spread.
Authorities said every fire outbreak will be immediately investigated and responsibility assigned wherever violations are identified.
The Fire Service is also strongly urging the public to strictly comply with all current restrictions and instructions from the relevant authorities, consult the Civil Protection General Secretariat’s daily Fire Risk Forecast Map and avoid any action or activity that could start a fire.
