Three 13-year-olds have been identified by authorities after allegedly starting a fire in a forested area of Mount Penteli, northeast of Athens, as part of a popular social media “challenge” intended to produce video content, according to initial findings of the investigation.
A video recorded by a passing motorist shows the teenagers starting a fire in a pine-covered area near Penteli Avenue, in the forest of Ano Vrilissia, on a day of high wildfire risk. The teenagers are then seen attempting to contain the fire they had started.
After the video was made public, the emergency number 112 was notified and the fire brigade identified the three teenagers, all aged 13. Officers from the fire brigade’s arson crimes directorate subsequently located the teens and their parents.
The 13-year-olds reportedly apologized, while their parents said they had been unaware of the challenge. A case file is being compiled against the teenagers on charges of attempted arson, while their parents are also included in the case on charges of neglecting the supervision of minors.
Greece has remained under heightened wildfire pressure in recent days, with strong winds and dry conditions complicating firefighting efforts during the peak of the summer fire season. On Sunday, a fast-moving wildfire on the island of Salamina, west of Athens, killed an elderly couple, injured several people and prompted the evacuation of more than 500 residents and visitors, with around 192 firefighters supported by aircraft, helicopters, firefighting vessels, volunteers and municipal water tankers.
The cause of the Salamina fire remains unknown.
The latest blaze follows major fires in Halkidiki, northern Greece, earlier this week and comes during a period that authorities and forecasters identify as one of the most dangerous parts of Greece’s wildfire season.
