Thirteen people were arrested this Saturday June 22 for starting a fire on the island of Hydra, Greece. Fireworks fired from a yacht caused the fire.
A forest fire on the Greek tourist island of Hydra, near Athens, was sparked by fireworks from a yacht this Friday, June 21. “The fire, caused by fireworks from a boat, burns the only pine forest on the island, in a place that is difficult to access and has no road”denounced the island’s seasonal firefighters on Facebook, with supporting photo, sparking anger on social networks.
The fire was quickly brought under control and no longer threatens the forest. The island’s mayor, Giorgos Koukoudakis, said “outraged that some people would so irresponsibly throw fireworks into a pine forest”, on the public television channel ERT. He added that “the municipality would file a civil suit against those responsible for the fire as soon as the preliminary investigation is completed.”
An island without forest roads
Thirteen people accused of starting this fire were arrested this Saturday, June 22 after the investigation carried out by the firefighters and must be presented to the prosecutor on Sunday. Greece recently toughened penalties for arson. The perpetrators of the fires can now be sentenced to up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 euros.
On the TV channel SkaiMr Koukoudakis also called on the authorities to act, emphasizing the fact that “the island has no fire zones or forest roads” allowing firefighters to access certain areas.
On Saturday, civil protection called for the greatest vigilance while the risk of fire “remains very high” particularly in the Attica region, which surrounds the Greek capital, in the Peloponnese and in the center of the country.
Already several fires during the previous days
A raging fire on the Cycladic island of Andros has led to the evacuation of four villages and the mobilization of two water bombers and six helicopters. Reinforcements from Athens were expected in the evening
A 55-year-old man, resident of the village of Myrtia in the Peloponnese, died this Friday in a forest fire. In the country, 45 new fires fueled by strong winds were recorded, according to firefighters.
Since Wednesday June 19, the authorities have continued to warn of “very high risk” of forest fire due to strong winds and high temperatures which in some areas reached 40 degrees Celsius.
No stranger to heat waves, Greece has been preparing for weeks for a particularly difficult summer in terms of heatwaves and forest fires after having suffered the hottest winter in its history.
The Mediterranean country went through its first heatwave last week with temperatures locally reaching more than 44°C. It had already experienced devastating fires causing more than twenty deaths and a two-week heatwave of more than 40°C, unprecedented in its duration, in 2023.
