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Greece Reports About 300 Arrests as Wildfires Continue

Increased arrests accompany a government push to install real-time fire detectors to protect people and cultural sites.

Overview

  • Officials say around 300 people have been arrested in connection with recent wildfires, with the fire service reporting 272 cases of negligence and 36 cases of intent.
  • The civil protection agency warned that drought, strong winds and forecasts of widespread temperatures above 40°C are raising fire risk and complicating firefighting efforts.
  • Fire crews remain active on multiple blazes and aerial resources including helicopters have been deployed near Athens to slow fire spread and protect communities.
  • The Culture Ministry will equip 22 historic sites with a modern detection system tested at Mycenae that uses optical and thermal cameras to send real-time alerts to local fire services.
  • Six detector systems are scheduled to be operational by the end of August with eight more planned for September, a move meant to speed response times and reduce damage to monuments.