Yacht fireworks cause forest fire on Greek island, 13 arrested

Thirteen people have been arrested following a wildfire on the Greek island of Hydra, which authorities believe was started by fireworks launched from a yacht. The fire, which started on Friday, devastated the island’s only pine forest. Although now under control, the fire presented significant challenges for firefighters who had to access the area by sea and use helicopters to drop water due to the lack of roads leading to the beach.

Hydra, southwest of Athens on the Saronic Gulf, is popular with foreign visitors and those traveling on yachts.

The latest fire was “caused by fireworks launched from a boat and burned the only pine forest on the island in a place that was difficult to access and without a road,” Hydra’s firefighting team said on Facebook.

In a statement released on Saturday, Greek authorities confirmed the arrest of 13 Greek citizens who are expected to appear before prosecutors on Sunday. An official said the people were arrested at a marina in the Athens region.

The incident caused widespread outrage in Greece, which is already facing several forest fires amid the first heat wave of the year. The country has been on high alert for forest fires due to dry conditions, strong winds and high temperatures, which are expected to persist throughout the summer. Authorities say 64 forest and forest fires have broken out in Greece in the past 24 hours.

Hydra Mayor Giorgos Koukoudakis expressed anger at the reckless actions that led to the fire.

“We are outraged that some people throw fireworks so irresponsibly into a pine forest,” Hydra mayor Giorgos Koukoudakis told Greek broadcaster ERT.

In a related incident, a 55-year-old volunteer firefighter succumbed to injuries sustained while fighting a fire in the Ilia region of the Peloponnese peninsula.

Scientists have warned that human-caused fossil fuel emissions are worsening the duration and intensity of heat waves around the world.

Additionally, arson continues to be a significant problem, with 79 people arrested for arson last August. To combat this, Greece increased penalties for deliberate and negligent arson last year, introducing fines of up to 200,000 euros and prison sentences of up to 20 years.