Greece’s government is planning tougher penalties for arson following a spate of wildfires

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities are planning tougher penalties for arson with fines to be increased to 10 times the current level. The moves follows a spate of major wildfires that have already caused more damage than the 2022 annual total. Greece’s civil protection minister said late Monday that details of the measures would be announced next month. But the minister added that fines for causing fires deliberately or because of negligent behavior would match penalties introduced two years ago for the abuse of animals. Those carry a fine of up to 50,000 euros ($55,000) and a maximum jail sentence of 10 years. Greece battled 10 major wildfires last month including blazes outside Athens and on the island of Rhodes during three successive heat waves.