Greek Fire Service officers arrested two people on Thursday, August 6, 2026, over separate wildfires on the island of Skyros and in Lakonia. Arson Crimes Investigative Units (A.K.A.E.E.) from the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes (D.A.E.E.) launched immediate investigations into the causes of both blazes.
Conditions improved at the wildfire that broke out on Thursday afternoon in an agricultural and forest area at Kolympada in southern Skyros. Aerial firefighting units withdrew after sunset following water drops, leaving ground crews reinforced from Evia to handle the response. A total of 33 firefighters with four fire engines worked at the scene, supported by local government water tankers and construction machinery.
On Skyros, officers arrested a 63-year-old local woman under in flagrante delicto procedures after a fire started around 2:32 p.m. Authorities said the fire was caused by an electrical generator supplying power to a storage area used as a kitchen. Officers from A.K.A.E.E. Chalkida traveled to Skyros to prepare the case file while the fire expanded and remained active.
Fire in Lakonia and Annual Penalties
In Lakonia, A.K.A.E.E. Lakonia officers arrested a 71-year-old local man for a fire that started around 1:40 p.m. in the community of Agia Eirini. Investigators said the blaze was caused by a barbecue on a plot of land and burned about 100 square meters of dry grass. Officers issued the man an administrative fine of 3,600 euros.
Preliminary investigations remain underway to clarify how both fires started and spread. Between January 1 and August 6, 2026, authorities imposed 675 administrative fines totaling 1,035,253.24 euros and made 271 in flagrante delicto arrests. The Fire Service reported that 242 arrests, or 89.30 percent, involved negligence, while 29 arrests, or 10.70 percent, involved intent.
The D.A.E.E. and fire investigative teams maintained high operational readiness with continued checks to assign responsibility. The Fire Service reminded the public that most wildfires stem from human negligence and urged compliance with fire safety measures to protect lives, property, and the environment.
