Since the beginning of the year, fires have claimed an area larger than the city of Cologne.

Greece is tightening its crackdown on arsonists. Hundreds of suspected perpetrators have already been arrested this year. "Impunity is over," said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a video on the TikTok platform, reminding that stricter laws have been imposed and are being implemented.

According to the meteorological office, around 45,000 hectares of forest, bush, and agricultural land have fallen victim to flames in Greece since the beginning of the year—an area larger than the city of Cologne. The forest fire season is not over yet.

"Did you know that over 300 people have been arrested for arson this year alone?" Mitsotakis asked on TikTok. The forest fires have once again had catastrophic consequences for people and the environment. In the past, perpetrators often got away with lenient sentences, but that is now over, the head of government assured.

Fighting the fires is not just about natural influences: The arrests and confessions of the past few weeks have shown: "Unfortunately, our enemy is not only the climate crisis, but also the human factor – whether through negligence or intent."

Recently, authorities have had repeated successes in their search for suspected perpetrators. On the island of Lesbos, for example, a 57-year-old man was identified who confessed to setting four fires, which led to a major blaze and a major firefighting operation. He allegedly stated that he acted out of anger at other villagers.

After the major forest fire near the port city of Patras, witness statements from local residents led to the arrest of three young men who are believed to have started the fire – their motive is still unknown. In a forest fire in Corinth several weeks ago, however, workers were arrested for cutting steel with circular saws in a dry forest area – the flying sparks are said to have caused the fire.

Fires caused by poor maintenance of the power grid are also indirectly man-made, writes the newspaper Kathimerini. Corroded cables that sparked sparks are said to have led to a major fire near Athens in early August. In many cases, however, the perpetrators remain elusive – in these cases, only the remains of accelerants such as gas cartridges and gasoline canisters indicate arson.

While previously, perpetrators could get away with suspended sentences and small fines in the worst cases, they now face imprisonment in any case – meaning the sentences are neither suspended nor commuted to fines. Furthermore, perpetrators can now face heavy fines. In serious cases, fines of up to 30,000 euros are possible, and in cases of gross negligence, even up to 200,000 euros. The new law also allows for the confiscation of the perpetrators' assets.

So far this year, there has been one fatality, numerous animals have died, and houses, cars, and warehouses have been destroyed. The wildfire season is not over yet. Nevertheless, the initial assessment is far better than the statistics of previous years. In 2023, 175,000 hectares burned—equivalent to almost two-thirds of the area of ​​Saarland.