Greek authorities charge three over wildfire near Athens

Greek authorities have placed a town mayor, a contractor and a wind farm owner in pre-trial detention after charging them with arson over a wildfire that burned large areas near Athens last week. Investigators believe the blaze began on 31 July with a spark from power cables at a wind farm near Agios Vasileios, a seaside village at the foot of a mountain northwest of the capital. The fire spread rapidly in strong winds and reached areas about 40km from Athens.

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The mayor, Giannis Apostolou, leads the small town of Stylida and owns an electrical installation company linked to the wind farm, according to the information provided by investigators and Greek media. Authorities are accusing him, a contractor for his company and the owner of the wind farm of arson and damaging public utilities. All three could face more than 10 years in prison if convicted.

The wind farm is on the border between the regions of Boeotia and Attica, and officials have now decided to suspend its operations. The fire caused significant damage in the seaside resort of Porto Germeno, on the shores of the Gulf of Corinth. More than 120 buildings and homes were damaged, alongside forest, scrubland and olive groves.

The blaze also followed an earlier fire on the same power line on 27 June, according to the information cited by the authorities. Residents had previously tried, without success, to block the wind farm through legal action when it was installed more than 10 years ago. The case comes amid a difficult wildfire season in Greece, where dozens of blazes have broken out since the end of July.

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Five people have died in that period, including three firefighters, and two crew members of a helicopter fighting the flames were killed in a collision with another aircraft. The investigation therefore has significance beyond one local fire, because it raises questions about infrastructure safety, land management and accountability during a period of extreme fire risk. The allegations also place attention on the relationship between energy infrastructure and wildfire prevention.

Investigators say the owner of the wind turbines is accused of failing to clear vegetation, while the reported origin of the fire was a spark from overhead medium-voltage power lines. That detail is likely to be central to any legal proceedings, alongside the role of the contractor and the mayor's company. What remains unclear is how the court will assess responsibility among the three accused and whether further charges could follow.

It is also not yet clear whether the suspension of the wind farm will remain in place for an extended period. The case is expected to continue to draw attention as Greece faces ongoing fire risk and authorities examine the causes of recent blazes.

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