Neglect ? Accident ? A 52 -year -old man was arrested on the island of Ebée, Greece, accused of having been behind the fire which ravaged part of the island between Friday evening and Saturday morning, the Greek firefighters announced.
According to the public television channel ERT, the individual cleared land when the fire started and then quickly became uncontrollable. According to the Greek news agency Ana, 1,000 hectares were burned on the island of Evua, located northeast of Athens.
800 people evacuated
On Saturday, Greek firefighters remained on the alert due to high temperatures and strong winds throughout the country. This weekend, Greece should see temperatures reaching 41 ° C-42 ° C in certain regions, according to forecasts for Emy Meteorology Services.
The fire that declared itself Friday to Koropi, in a peri -urban area near Athens, was mastered on Saturday according to the Greek firefighters. Some 800 people had to be evacuated. The Directorate of Criminal Fire Fight (DAEE) has opened an investigation to find out if the origin of fire was also linked to negligence or action premeditated by an individual.
Heavier sanctions against managers
At the end of June, on the island of Chios, north of the Aegean Sea, a woman of Georgian origin had been found guilty of having triggered a fire by negligence, after having badly extinguished her cigarette. The Court of First Instance of Chios had sentenced her to a fine of 10,000 euros and three years’ imprisonment. More than 4,000 hectares, especially brush and agricultural land, were ravaged by this fire.
In 2024, the Greek government hardened the sanctions against fire perpetrators. From now on, they can be sentenced up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 euros.
Located in south-eastern Europe, in the eastern Mediterranean, Greece is particularly vulnerable each summer with fires, powered by very strong winds, drought and high temperatures.
Some 45,000 hectares were burned last year. But 2023 remains the most destructive year in terms of burnt area with 20 dead and nearly 175,000 hectares who left for smoke.
