Greece: Hundreds of arrests for arson and protection of historical sites

Cases like this always cause people to shake their heads: According to the fire department, a fire broke out on the Greek island of Crete last week after a vacationer grilled with charcoal not far from the forest. According to media reports, he told authorities that he did not know that outdoor grilling was prohibited in high winds and dry conditions.

The example of Crete is not an isolated case. Since the beginning of the year, 308 people have been arrested in Greece for fires caused negligently or intentionally. There are 272 cases of negligence and 36 of intent, said fire department spokesman Giorgos Artopoios on public broadcaster ERT.

According to civil protection, the risk of fire is currently increasing again due to the drought and strong winds. At the same time, it will be very hot: temperatures of more than 40 degrees are expected in large parts of Greece in the coming days. The extreme heat is expected to last until the middle of next week. The conditions ensure that fires spread quickly.

Fire alarm system for historic sites

To protect its historic sites from forest fires, Greece is now equipping them with a modern fire alarm system. The Ministry of Culture said the new mechanism had already been successfully tested under real conditions at the foot of the Acropolis of Mycenae on the Peloponnese peninsula. In total, the system will be installed at 22 historical sites.

The systems have optical and thermal imaging cameras, some with an all-round view of 360 degrees. Panning and tilting cameras enable targeted monitoring of suspicious areas. Mobile extinguishing cannons will also enable initial firefighting at selected locations.

During a test at the Acropolis of Mycenae on July 31, a fire was quickly identified, the ministry said. Six new systems are to be put into operation by the end of August, including at the Acropolis in Athens, at the Nestor Palace and at the Hosios Lukas Monastery. Eight more will follow in September.

The project is part of the Greek civil protection program "Aigis" and is financed by the EU Recovery and Resilience Fund. The aim is to detect fires at particularly valuable cultural and natural sites as early as possible and thereby shorten the response time of emergency services.