A 35-year-old Israeli was arrested Saturday on the Greek island of Crete on suspicion of accidentally starting a wildfire while grilling outdoors during a period of heightened fire danger. No injuries were reported.
According to Greek fire services, the blaze broke out Friday evening near the village of Agios Vasilios in the Rethymno region of southern Crete.
(Photo: shutterstock)
The fire did not spread across a large area, and firefighters brought the flames under control after about four hours.
The Israeli was arrested and is expected to appear before a judicial investigator and prosecutor, who will decide whether charges should be filed. If he is prosecuted, authorities will also determine whether he should remain in custody or be released under restrictions.
The arrest comes amid a difficult wildfire season in Greece. Since the beginning of the year, 297 people have been arrested in the country on suspicion of causing fires. Of those, 267 were suspected of starting fires accidentally, while the remainder were suspected of deliberate arson. Authorities have also imposed fines totaling approximately 1.14 million euros so far this year.
Crete, and the Rethymno region in particular, has faced significant fires in recent weeks, with strong winds complicating firefighting efforts.