Thirteen arrests after forest fire caused by fireworks on Greek island | Greece

Greek authorities arrested 13 people on Saturday after fireworks set off from a yacht sparked a forest fire on an island near Athens, setting off a new season of deadly summer fires in the country.

The mayor of the island of Hydra expressed his “outrage” after the fire broke out late Friday and announced legal action against those responsible.

At least one person died in dozens of forest fires in Greece this week.

The latest fire was “caused by fireworks fired from a boat and burned down the island’s only pine forest in a difficult-to-access location with no road,” Hydra’s fire service team said on Facebook.

Thirteen people accused of involvement in the fireworks display were arrested following investigations by the fire department and will be brought before a prosecutor on Sunday, the fire department said in a statement.

No further information was given about the suspects. Greece has increased the penalties for arson. Perpetrators now face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to 200,000 euros.

Hydra’s mayor Giorgos Koukoudakis not only called for legal action against the “irresponsible” people behind the fireworks, but also told public broadcaster ERT that the authorities needed to create more fire protection zones and roads through the forests.

On Saturday, another fire raged on the island of Andros, rescue services said. Four villages were evacuated and planes and helicopters were deployed to fight the flames with water bombs.

Civil protection officials called for extreme vigilance as the risk of fire was “very high”, particularly in the Attica region, the Peloponnese peninsula and central Greece.

Greece is preparing for a difficult summer as authorities warn of strong winds and high temperatures increasing the danger.

After the warmest winter on record, the Mediterranean country recorded its first heatwave of the year last week, with temperatures rising above 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places.

On Friday, firefighters battling wildfires fuelled by three days of strong winds left at least one person dead: a 55-year-old man collapsed and died while battling the flames around his village.

Last year, a severe two-week heat wave was followed by devastating forest fires that killed 20 people.

Scientists warn that human-caused fossil fuel emissions are extending the length and intensity of heatwaves around the world.

According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, rising temperatures are leading to a longer wildfire season and an increase in the area burned.