Wildfire investigations lead to arrests in France and Greece

Authorities in France and Greece are conducting extensive investigations into recent devastating wildfires, with a focus on human involvement.

In France, 420 individuals have been arrested in connection with forest fires. Prosecutors allege that these individuals either intentionally or negligently set fires to buildings and forests. Among those detained are 166 minors. Some convictions have already been handed down, including sentences for individuals who discarded cigarette butts during extreme drought conditions. While authorities suggest many fires are due to arson, experts note that many large-scale fires stem from accidents involving construction, faulty electrical equipment, or discarded smoking materials that are exacerbated by severe dryness.

In Greece, investigators have linked a major wildfire west of Athens to sparking power lines. Two entrepreneurs, including the head of an electrical installation company, are in custody on suspicion of arson or negligence. Preliminary findings suggest that vibrating cables on a private line transporting electricity from wind turbines caused sparks that ignited the fire, which destroyed over 10,000 hectares of vegetation and damaged more than 120 buildings. In Greece, defective power lines have been identified as a leading cause of major wildfires in recent years.