A newly surfaced video showing a man pulling over along a dry country road seconds before flames burst from the brush has provided dramatic evidence in a serial arson case in Northern Greece, as official figures reveal that 281 people have been arrested nationwide for fire-related offenses so far this year.
In the Sindos area near Thessaloniki, local authorities arrested a 59-year-old man accused of intentionally setting six separate fires across agricultural fields, dry grass, and reed beds over the span of four days.
The video footage captures the suspect parking his vehicle along the roadside and stepping into the vegetation. Seconds after he returns to his car and drives away, bright flames can be seen erupting from the exact spot he had just visited.
Βίντεο από τη δράση του 59χρονου που συνελήφθη για έξι εμπρησμούς pic.twitter.com/wuxWQHSXpc
— Kathimerini_Web (@KathimeriniWeb) August 12, 2026
The spree allegedly began on Saturday, August 8, 2026, when an initial fire destroyed roughly 20 stremmata (approx. five acres) of farmland. A second blaze followed the next day, burning through an additional 15 stremmata. By Tuesday, August 11, the suspect allegedly set four more fires in rapid succession across the same district.
The suspect was brought before a prosecutor and charged with felony intentional serial arson endangering foreign property and human life in Greece. He was granted a delay to prepare his defense and is scheduled to testify before an investigating magistrate on Friday.
A nationwide arson crackdown in Greece
The arrest comes as the Greek Fire Service announced on Wednesday that 281 individuals have been arrested across the country for fire-related offenses since January 2026. Speaking on public television channel ERT, Fire Service spokesman Yannis Artopios detailed that the vast majority of cases—252 arrests—were caused by gross negligence, while 29 involved deliberate acts of arson.
While total arrests have declined compared to the same period in 2024 (360 arrests) and 2025 (315 arrests), Greek authorities remain on maximum alert. Recent legislative reforms have significantly raised the stakes for offenders, introducing strict penalties that include prison sentences of up to twenty years and fines of up to €200,000 (over $230,000).
Related: Investigation Points to Wind Farm Power Line in Greece’s Devastating Wildfire
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