Investigators have arrested two people in connection with arson incidents in Aetolia-Acarnania and Rodopi, the Fire Department has announced.
The arrests were made by officers from the Arson Crimes Investigation Units (AKAEE) of the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes (DAEE), under the flagrante delicto procedure.
In the first case, authorities arrested a 50-year-old man over a fire that broke out at around 2:27 p.m. on Sunday in the Paravola area of the Municipality of Agrinio, in western Greece.
According to the investigation, the man set fire to agricultural land, burning around four stremmata.
The Fire Department said that, following a detailed investigation and analysis of the available evidence, the suspect confessed to three further arson incidents in the same area in June, specifically on June 6, 20 and 28, 2026.
The case was handled by the Aetolia-Acarnania Arson Crimes Investigation Unit, as part of a broader inquiry into fire incidents in the region. The 50-year-old was arrested for repeated intentional arson and is being brought before the competent prosecutor.
In the second case, the Arson Crimes Investigation Unit in Xanthi, working with investigators from the Komotini Fire Department, arrested a foreign national over a fire that broke out at around 10:44 a.m. on Sunday in the rural area of Isalos, in the Municipality of Maroneia-Sapes, in the Regional Unit of Rodopi, northern Greece.
According to preliminary findings, the man used an open flame to set dry grass alight, causing a fire in a rural area. The blaze burned five stremmata of dry grass and damaged 60 olive trees.
He was arrested at the scene on suspicion of intentional arson and is also being brought before the competent prosecutor.
According to the Fire Department, from January 1 to June 29, 2026, a total of 492 administrative fines have been imposed for fire-related offences, amounting to €571,626.28. Over the same period, 138 arrests have been made under the flagrante delicto procedure. Of these, 127 cases, or 92.03%, involved fires caused by negligence, while 11 cases, or 7.97%, involved intentional fires.
43 agricultural and forest fires in 24 hours
The Fire Department also said that 43 agricultural and forest fires broke out across Greece over the past 24 hours.
Of these, 40 were brought under control at an early stage, while firefighters were still tackling three.
Local fire investigation offices, as well as teams from the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes, are investigating the causes of the fires.
The Fire Department has urged citizens to exercise particular caution and, in the event of a fire, to follow the instructions of the competent authorities for their own safety.
nvestigators have arrested two people in connection with arson incidents in Aetolia-Acarnania and Rodopi, the Fire Department has announced.The arrests were made by officers from the Arson Crimes Investigation Units (AKAEE) of the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes (DAEE), under the flagrante delicto procedure.In the first case, authorities arrested a 50-year-old man over a fire that broke out at around 2:27 p.m. on Sunday in the Paravola area of the Municipality of Agrinio, in western Greece.According to the investigation, the man set fire to agricultural land, burning around four stremmata.The Fire Department said that, following a detailed investigation and analysis of the available evidence, the suspect confessed to three further arson incidents in the same area in June, specifically on June 6, 20 and 28, 2026.The case was handled by the Aetolia-Acarnania Arson Crimes Investigation Unit, as part of a broader inquiry into fire incidents in the region. The 50-year-old was arrested for repeated intentional arson and is being brought before the competent prosecutor.In the second case, the Arson Crimes Investigation Unit in Xanthi, working with investigators from the Komotini Fire Department, arrested a foreign national over a fire that broke out at around 10:44 a.m. on Sunday in the rural area of Isalos, in the Municipality of Maroneia-Sapes, in the Regional Unit of Rodopi, northern Greece.According to preliminary findings, the man used an open flame to set dry grass alight, causing a fire in a rural area. The blaze burned five stremmata of dry grass and damaged 60 olive trees.He was arrested at the scene on suspicion of intentional arson and is also being brought before the competent prosecutor.According to the Fire Department, from January 1 to June 29, 2026, a total of 492 administrative fines have been imposed for fire-related offences, amounting to €571,626.28. Over the same period, 138 arrests have been made under the flagrante delicto procedure. Of these, 127 cases, or 92.03%, involved fires caused by negligence, while 11 cases, or 7.97%, involved intentional fires.43 agricultural and forest fires in 24 hoursThe Fire Department also said that 43 agricultural and forest fires broke out across Greece over the past 24 hours.Of these, 40 were brought under control at an early stage, while firefighters were still tackling three.Local fire investigation offices, as well as teams from the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes, are investigating the causes of the fires.The Fire Department has urged citizens to exercise particular caution and, in the event of a fire, to follow the instructions of the competent authorities for their own safety.
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