A 44-year-old Greek woman has been arrested after deliberately igniting two wildfires in a bizarre attempt to interact with firefighters. The incident, which took place in the municipality of Tripoli in Arcadia, has shocked both local residents and officials.
According to reports, the woman started the fires on August 24th and 25th in the area of Kerasitsa. Her motive was revealed to be an unusual fascination with watching firefighters and flirting with them. The wildfires, which she intentionally caused, led to significant emergency response efforts and endangered local communities.
The local fire department issued a statement confirming the woman’s actions: “A Greek citizen, responsible for causing two fires on farmland, intentionally and repeatedly on August 24th and 25th in Kerasitsa, Municipality of Tripoli in Arcadia, enjoyed watching firefighters and flirting with them.”
The statement highlighted the gravity of the situation, noting the risks associated with such reckless behavior. The woman was arrested by the Police Department of Tripoli and has been sentenced to a three-year suspended prison term.
The case has drawn widespread condemnation on social media. A video of the incident shared by Dailmail sparked outrage, with many users demanding stricter penalties. Comments ranged from calls for longer prison sentences to expressions of disbelief at the leniency of the three-year suspended sentence. One user wrote, “Put her in jail for at least 20 years,” while another added, “A slap on the hand, there are no consequences to putting these brave heroes in danger intentionally.”
Police identified the woman as a suspect after observing her presence at both fire sites. Further investigation confirmed her involvement, leading to her arrest and sentencing.
This incident is part of a troubling trend of individuals deliberately causing fires. Earlier this year, a 51-year-old man was fined $1,550 for starting three fires on farmland. In Greece, even accidental wildfires are treated as serious criminal acts due to the potential for rapid escalation into large-scale disasters.
Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece, Vassilis Kikilias, emphasized the severity of such actions: “The law is now stricter than ever, and negligence constitutes a criminal act.”
Sources By Agencies
