Haidari Botanical Garden fire leads to arrest of 54-year-old

A 54-year-old foreign national has been arrested for causing a fire at the Botanical Garden in Haidari, Attica. The incident occurred around 11:50 AM on a day when the fire risk index was at level 4, indicating a very high danger level.

Investigations by the Fire Service revealed that the individual was performing vegetation clearing using a brush cutter at the time the fire broke out. He faces charges of arson by negligence in a forested area.

The Fire Service released statistics regarding fire-related incidents from January 1 to August 24, 2026, noting that 738 administrative fines totaling over 1.2 million euros have been issued. During this period, 311 arrests were made, with 89.07% of those cases attributed to negligence and 10.93% to intentional arson.