Wildfires burning across Greece; 2 arrested for arson
Posted: Aug 25, 2019 / 07:31 AM CDT / Updated: Aug 25, 2019 / 08:22 AM CDT
In this Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019 photo shows an helicopter fills its bucket with water during a wildfire near Pythagorio town on the eastern Greek island of Samos. Authorities evacuated two hotels and house the customers in an arena in the town of Pythagorio. Hot, dry weather and high winds helped fuel a total of 68 wildfires across Greece Saturday and the situation will remain dangerous Sunday. (AP Photo/Michael Svarnias)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's fire service says it has arrested two people in southern Greece suspected of starting fires, one of them who did so three times.
The suspects, 47 and 43 years old, were arrested by firefighters in separate cases Saturday, in the Peloponnese. One is charged with starting a fire in a forest early Saturday and the other of starting three, including one last Sunday and two in less than an hour Saturday.
Hot, dry, windy weather has helped fuel dozens of wildfires across the country and the fire service has deployed almost 700 firefighters in the past 24 hours. The most serious fire, on the eastern island of Samos, is now under control, but authorities had to evacuate four hotels Saturday and house the guests in an indoor stadium overnight.
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