Kalamos: arrest over barbecue next to a forest

A 31-year-old man was arrested at midday on Friday, 14 August 2026, around 14:40, in Kalamos, Municipality of Oropos, for using a barbecue near a forested area. The arrest was carried out by officers of the Eastern Attica Arson Crimes Investigation Unit, according to the relevant Fire Service bulletin. The man arrested was fined an administrative penalty of 3,750 euros, and a case file was drawn up against him. The case is at the pre-trial stage, and the defendant is covered by the presumption of innocence. The same bulletin recorded similar incidents in other parts of the country over the same 24-hour period.

The incident occurred on a day when eastern Attica was on alert, with the risk index at category 5, the highest level of extreme risk. In this category, a general ban applies on movement and presence in forests and forested areas, as well as a complete ban on the use of fire outdoors, including barbecues, hot work and burning of waste. The amount of the fine is set by the applicable fire-service regulation and scales according to the day’s risk index. Beyond the administrative fine, using fire during a ban period also carries criminal penalties, with the case file forwarded to the competent prosecutor.

A similar incident had been recorded a few days earlier in Stamata, where an arrest was also made over the use of a barbecue next to a forest, as TodayGrid had reported in “Stamata: arrest over barbecue next to a forest”. The repetition shows that, despite daily warnings, the use of open fire remains widespread in the suburbs and holiday zones of Attica, especially on holidays. The mid-August holiday traditionally combines family gatherings at holiday homes with the year’s highest risk index. Kalamos and the wider Oropos area have extensive pine forests in direct contact with holiday settlements, a combination that has led to major wildfires in the past.

Checks in eastern Attica have intensified over the past ten days, with Fire Service investigation units carrying out targeted patrols in forested areas. In the Municipality of Oropos, as well as in Rafina and Pikermi, bans have been issued on movement in forests and Natura network areas for high-risk days. The bans remained in force for Sunday, 16 August as well, as Attica stayed at risk category 4. More from the area on the Oropos page. The Fire Service points out that the vast majority of summer fires are caused by human activity rather than natural causes. Residents are urged to report any spotted smoke immediately to 199, as the time of first response remains the most decisive factor in the outcome of a fire.