Wildfires that ripped across parts of the popular Ionian island of Corfu in Greece were set, Mayor Yorgos Mahimaris claimed, after earlier reports the fire service expected an arsonist who set earlier fires would strike again.

Mahimaris said arson was evident after he visited three locations where fires broke out on Mount Pantokratoras, causing evacuations and people fleeing a beach there, said the British newspaper The Independent.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/corfu-wildfires-greece-rhodes-b2381320.html

Theofanis Skembris, Deputy Mayor of North Corfu, said that four fires were “started simultaneously,” with no report of anyone detained, arson being common in Greece and few of those caught punished.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “We have to wait for the investigation, but their first unofficial assumption is that it was arson – fires can’t start simultaneously in four different places.”

He said that, “The situation on the island is better now. Most of the fires are under control. There are firefighting airplanes helping. I believe that everything will be over soon.”

Chariton Koutscouris, Corfu’s Deputy Mayor for Tourism and Construction, also blamed the fires on people who get “pleasure out of this with the pain of the other people,” although some fires in Greece previously were said set to allow development in burned woodland, the island set for more resort construction.

He said officials had a “suspicion” that fires would strike after being warned by a Fire Service chief although it wasn’t said if a suspected arsonist in earlier fires was being surveilled.

A Greek Fire Service spokesperson said that 12 residential areas were evacuated in Corfu with tourists being taken to the village of Kassiopi. Some later fled the island on boats, according to reports about the situation.