Burned bicycles lean against the wall of a house destroyed by a wildfire in Porto Germeno, northwest of Athens, August 3. [AP]
Fire investigators in Greece are increasingly linking major wildfires to faults in electricity networks, yet criminal responsibility is often unresolved or delayed, according to cases, testimony and data presented by the Fire Service’s Arson Crimes Directorate.
A court-appointed expert examining a July fire near Krya Vrysi in Rethymno told investigators that a wooden utility pole had shifted and that, during severe winds, medium-voltage lines may have moved close enough together to create a spark.
He also reported residue from liquefied grease on a conductor. “Molten grease, in the form of hot oil, falling from the overheated conductor, can cause a fire in dry vegetation,” he reportedly testified.
Fire investigators increasingly secure damaged poles before repair crews arrive and sometimes question court experts immediately after site inspections. One firefighter said experts have occasionally offered one explanation verbally and later written something entirely different in formal reports.
