Greek authorities have arrested at least 281 people since the start of 2026 in a criminal investigation into the outbreak of wildfires across the country, officials said.
The vast majority — 252 detainees, or roughly 90 percent, were held on charges of negligence, while 29 face accusations of deliberately setting fires. Among those detained was a 59-year-old man in Thessaloniki linked to at least five blazes over two weeks. Separately, a 33-year-old was fined 3,000 euros after lighting a portable barbecue in a wooded area near Athens.
The arrests come as the country battles severe fire seasons. A blaze northwest of Athens recently destroyed more than 11,000 hectares of pine forest and farmland. Greece's conservative government tightened penalties for arson in 2024, introducing sentences of up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching 200,000 euros.