Greece fights wildfires, arson arrests made

Two men were arrested in Greece on Saturday for allegedly causing multiple wildfires that have claimed 21 lives, with hundreds of firefighters battling the devastating blazes intensified by heatwaves across the country.

More than 600 firefighters from across Europe, along with an array of water-dropping aircraft, are battling three major Greek wildfires, including a massive nine-day blaze in the northeastern regions of Evros and Alexandroupolis, believed to be responsible for 20 of the 21 wildfire-related deaths in the past week.

The Greek fire department reported that the blaze in the northeastern region, one of Europe's largest single wildfires, has destroyed 77,000 hectares of land and numerous homes.

Officials, attributing several of this past week's fires in Greece to arson, have arrested two men from Evia and Larissa for allegedly igniting fires in dry vegetation, with one confessing to initiating four other fires throughout July and August, reported the Associated Press.

Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias stated that "arsonists are setting fires, endangering forests, property, and above all, human lives".

"You are committing a crime against the country," he said. "We will find you. You will be held accountable to justice."

The fire department said that over the past week, gale-force winds and hot, dry conditions have spurred daily fire outbreaks across the country, with firefighters battling 122 blazes in all on Saturday, including 75 new fires within 24 hours from Friday evening.

As firefighting forces have reached their limit in Greece, assistance has been requested from other European countries, leading to aid from Germany, Sweden, Croatia and Cyprus in the form of aircraft, and ground support from Romanian, French, Czech, Bulgarian, Albanian and Slovak firefighters, reported AP.

Southern European countries, prone to wildfires due to their hot, dry summers, are seeing an increase in frequency and intensity of these events due to climate breakdown, with 2022 being the second most destructive year on record after 2017, according to EU officials cited by The Guardian newspaper.