Fires break out on Greek islands Rhodes and Corfu

Wildfires broke out on the Greek tourist islands of Rhodes and Corfu on Saturday, prompting authorities to deploy firefighters and aircraft by air and land while warning that negligence remains the primary cause of such blazes, according to the Greek fire service.

Firefighting operations on Rhodes and Corfu

On Rhodes, 25 firefighters backed by eight vehicles and a helicopter were dispatched to contain a blaze in scrubland near Ataviros, with volunteer groups and civil protection teams reinforcing the operation, the service said. On Corfu, 24 firefighters, six vehicles, a ground crew and volunteers were deployed to tackle flames in an agricultural and forested area near a residential zone, supported by two firefighting aircraft and a helicopter.

Detentions and administrative penalties

Authorities detained four suspects under in flagrante delicto procedures in connection with three separate fires caused by negligence in Argolida, Kavala and Corinth, noting that investigations remain ongoing. Since the start of the year, officials have imposed 513 administrative fines totaling €619,569 (around $708,000) and detained 155 people, including 142 on suspicion of negligence and 13 on suspicion of arson.

Warnings over human negligence

The fire service stated that human negligence continues to serve as the leading cause of forest fires, urging citizens to strictly observe fire safety rules throughout the wildfire season. Officials emphasized that strict enforcement measures will continue as the country enters its high-risk summer months.