Yacht occupants' fireworks ignite forest on Hydra island.
In Greece, there's been a significant risk of forest fires for several days now, yet folks show a blatant disregard for caution. An incident on Hydra island sparks outrage: During the night, partygoers on a yacht decided to light off fireworks, inadvertently starting a blaze that engulfed the only pine forest on the island.
Multiple fires across the country kept the Greek fire department occupied on a Saturday. The recklessness of these individuals, who continue to play with fire despite repeated advisories, incenses many. The night before Saturday, it was the thoughtless actions of the yacht passengers that sparked fireworks off the coast of Hydra's island, which subsequently set the island's only pine forest ablaze.
The culprits attempted to douse the initial flames but then phoned the fire department and beat a hasty retreat. The area is hard to access, and firefighters can only battle the fire from the air and the sea. They have yet to gain control over the fire. In fury, the island's mayor spoke out on television. He stated that the island community plans to report the perpetrators independently, apart from the central authorities.
According to the fire department, 64 forest and brush fires erupted in Greece within 24 hours. A location in the northwest of the Peloponnese peninsula caused notable problems on Saturday. The situation remains precarious, but authorities forecast strong winds by midday. Seven settlements have already been evacuated. Firefighters and volunteers battled the flames throughout the night.
It's rare to apprehend arsonists, but sometimes luck is on the side of the authorities: A man was recently capture, captured on multiple video cameras as he deliberately lit a fire east of Athens, which took two days to extinguish. Penalties for intentional or negligent arson in Greece were drastically increased last year. Apart from hefty fines, prison sentences of up to ten years can now be imposed for negligent arson. The forest fire danger in Greece remains high in several regions throughout the weekend, according to the Greek Civil Protection.
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The international community has expressed concern about the repeated forest fires in Greece, urging stricter regulations and education about fire safety. Despite the ongoing forest fire danger and multiple warnings, a reckless action by individuals on Hydra island led to the destruction of its only pine forest, sparked by fireworks from a yacht.
