A court in Thessaloniki handed down one conviction and two acquittals in the trial connected to the wildfire that broke out last week between the Filyro and Pefka areas, burning a total of approximately 22 acres (22 stremmata) of forested land.

Three men were charged with negligent arson — all members of a road construction crew that had been carrying out resurfacing work in the area at the time. According to the case file, the fire appears to have been triggered by sparks thrown off during the use of a cutting wheel on a metal guardrail.

The Thessaloniki Single-Member Misdemeanor Court sentenced the operator of the cutting wheel to two months in prison, suspended, while acquitting the other two defendants — including the supervising engineer on the project.

A large deployment of ground and aerial firefighting resources was mobilized to contain the blaze, and crews managed to bring it under control before it could spread to any residential areas.