Greek Minister Evangelos Tournas vows to cut wildfire incidents as 88% of arrests linked to negligence

Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Evangelos Tournas told reporters that the ministry is concerned by a rise in wildfires this year, especially in Central Macedonia and the western part of Thessaloniki. He noted that out of 221 fire‑related arrests so far, 195 – almost 88% – involve negligence, while the remainder concern intentional arson.

Tournas said the main objective for 2026 is not only to respond to fires but to reduce their occurrence. He highlighted the strain on firefighting resources, citing a 24‑hour period when the service tackled 51 forest fires nationwide, with 17 simultaneous incidents in Central Macedonia. The ministry can redeploy aerial and ground units daily and may reinforce them with additional forces from other regions if needed.