Greek authorities arrest man for causing fire during palm‑tree cutting in Nea Makri

Police in the Nea Makri suburb of Athens arrested a man after he cut palm trees with hot‑work equipment while the region was under a red‑alert fire‑risk (Category 5 – extreme danger). The activity violated regulations that forbid spark‑producing work in forested or grassy areas during high‑risk periods. He was fined €3,750.

The fire‑prevention unit noted that from 1 January to 22 July 2026, 595 administrative fines totalling €832,680.92 had been issued and 213 arrests made under the same self‑evident procedure, with 87.8 % for negligence and 12.2 % for intentional violations. Authorities continue intensive inspections and enforcement to prevent similar incidents.