Wildfires in Chios have ravaged vast forest areas and prompted the evacuation of numerous villages, with a Georgian housekeeper arrested for causing the fires. Investigations suggest suspicious activity linked to fire outbreaks in unconnected locations, highlighting the escalating threat of climate-induced wildfires in Greece.
Georgian Housekeeper Arrested in Connection with Devastating Chios Wildfires
Georgian Housekeeper Arrested in Connection with Devastating Chios Wildfires
A series of wildfires scorched over 11,000 acres in Chios, Greece, leading to the arrest of a housekeeper for allegedly starting the blaze while smoking.
A 35-year-old Georgian housekeeper has been arrested in Greece after a series of wildfires wreaked havoc on Chios island, consuming over 11,000 acres of land this week. The fires, which began on Sunday, were attributed to her allegedly smoking, according to Vassilis Vathrakoyiannis, spokesman for the Hellenic Fire Service. Five separate blazes, which erupted on the island, forced the evacuation of over a dozen villages and prompted an extensive firefighting response, deploying more than 400 firefighters from across Greece.
Chios, renowned for its unique mastic trees, has become increasingly vulnerable to wildfires each summer as climate change intensifies heat and aridity in the region. Known for their valuable resin, the mastic trees are crucial to both the local economy and attracting tourism during the peak summer months. The current fires have endangered these trees, although fortunately, the southern region, where most of them are located, was spared significant damage.
The initial fires on Sunday were followed by two more on Monday under particularly harsh and windy conditions. As crews fought the blazes, investigators from the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes were dispatched to assess the suspicious nature of the incidents, especially given their simultaneous origin in various disconnected locations. Giannis Kefalogiannis, Greece's Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, underscored the gravity of the situation, indicating the likelihood of foul play rather than natural causes.
Emergency efforts have managed to contain most of the fires by Thursday as wind conditions improved. Still, the incidents serve as a stark reminder of Greece's ongoing battle against wildfires, exacerbated by climate factors. The investigation continues as authorities remain vigilant ahead of what is expected to be a challenging summer fire season.
