A damaged house is seen inside a burnt forest in Mandra, west of Athens, on July 19, 2023. [Thanassis Stavrakis/AP]
Contrary to widespread belief, most wildfires are not started by committed arsonists, but by accidental ones, firefighters say.
The problem is one of attitude: a willful ignorance of danger, overconfidence, a belief that nothing can go wrong. The firefighters say it is the same attitude that leads motorcyclists not to wear helmets or car drivers and passengers refusing or neglecting to wear seat belts.
Most arrests for starting wildfires involve clearing undergrowth or using poorly maintained farm machinery and other tools whose sparks start fires.
The percentage of those arrested for planned arson has been declining recently: from 30.1% in 2023, 26.4% in 2024 and 11.5% in 2025 to just 5.8% so far this year. What is new is the hefty fines now imposed: a 61-year-old who recently started a fire on the island of Salamina while cutting a metal rod was fined over €4,000 and also faces criminal charges. The fire, which he tried unsuccessfully to put out himself, required the intervention of 27 firefighters, nine fire engines, a helicopter and a special commando unit. It was contained after burning through half a hectare.
