Arsonist caught as fires rage on
A 33-year-old man was arrested near Kalamata airport in the Peloponnese yesterday on suspicion of trying to start a wildfire, as several blazes that authorities believe have been set by arsonists raged in various parts of Greece. The suspect, a Bulgarian national who does not speak Greek, allegedly told police through an interpreter that he had started 16 brushfires because he liked to watch the blazes spread. Officers said that several tip-offs from witnesses alerted them to the suspect’s behavior and that he was arrested after being placed under surveillance. The 33-year-old will become the 61st person in Greece this year to be fast-tracked to court on charges of arson. So far, 33 people have been charged with setting fires by accident, while 28 have been accused of lighting them on purpose. A total of 207 people have been charged with arson this year, 45 of them for intentionally causing fires. Firefighters yesterday had to put out a wildfire on the Ionian island of Corfu which they believe was started by arsonists, as eight different fronts broke out within minutes of each other. Several other Ionian islands were suffering from wildfires as well yesterday. One was burning in the Vlachata area of Cephalonia, in Karya on Lefkada and at Lithakia on Zakynthos. All three blazes were partly under control by last night but at least 600 hectares have been burned this summer on Cephalonia, 300 hectares on Lefkada and 80 on Zakynthos. The Civil Protection Authority warned that a number of areas, including Attica, are at risk of wildfires today due to the hot weather and stronger winds.
