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The Sun
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Moment brazen ‘terrorist' arsonist sparks wildfires as deadly blazes spread across Europe hitting MORE holiday hotspots
THIS is the moment a brazen arsonist starts a terrifying wildfire by fanning the flames to help them spread faster. Hundreds of dangerous and deadly fires have plagued Europe in recent weeks with dozens of holiday hotspots left ravaged. 16 16 16 16 Portugal, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy and Bulgaria are all still reeling from the deadly fires crashing along the Mediterranean. Shocking CCTV footage from a quiet road in Bulgaria has now revealed the moment one of the 160 fires battering the country started. A 33-year-old man can be seen setting fire to several patches of grass which sit next to a pavement as he and his friend walk past. He casually walks off pretending nothing has happened as the flames begin to grow higher. Moments later, he returns and can be seen trying to fan the flames with his hands so they spread quicker up the hill. Authorities have managed to track down the arsonist and charged him with terrorism. Several other people have been arrested over similar offences in recent days. Sabotage has become a rife issue in southern Europe since a heatwave hit earlier this month. In Bulgaria alone, around 90 per cent of the blazes have been caused by human error and negligence, according to Miroslav Rashkov, the head of the interior ministry. Footage has already caught several suspects across the continent. Shock moment beachgoers surrounded by smoke as raging wildfires in Italian hols hotspot CCTV in Turkey caught a man suspiciously carrying bottles filled with water before emptying them and refilling them with petrol at a gas station. The suspect was later found by police with burns on his arms and legs after a fire in the village of Kismanlar. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan even claimed 96 per cent of the fires were caused by human activity such as cigarette butts and picnic fires. He announced in a live TV broadcast: "Let us not forget that this is a war, a defence of our green homeland, against this insidious enemy." Spain and Portugal Brits have been put on high alert over wildfires tearing through the popular holiday island of Tenerife in Spain. A fire sparked in the north and has continued to spread towards busy resorts in Santiago del Teide in recent hours. Locals have already been ordered to evacuate in the Valle de Arriba area with around 50 homes told to leave. Tenerife has been on red alert for the high risk of forest fires after the soaring temperatures hit 36 degrees. The first fire started at around 2pm on Monday. 16 16 16 Initial reports indicated that the fire was located in the area known as Partidos de Franquis - a rural site near San José de Los Llanos in El Tanque. A major operation was launched to control the fire, both by land and air, with police, firefighters, island government teams, the Civil Guard, helicopters and water-spraying planes all involved. President of Tenerife's government, Rosa Davila said conditions were "complicated" due to the extreme heat and high winds. The Iberian Peninsula is also bracing for further issues in the coming days. Four Spanish planes joined more than 250 Portuguese firefighters battling a mountain blaze in Viana do Castelo district on the Portuguese-Spanish border. The flames were spreading in two directions and were being pulled around by strong winds, civil protection chief Marco Domingues said. Large swaths of northern and southern Portugal are now on the highest alert for wildfires. Turkey The most deadly of the European fires have come from Turkey. At least 17 people have been killed in the apocalyptic wildfires as record-breaking 50C heat and howling winds fuel devastation across the eastern Mediterranean. The infernos have forced more than 3,500 residents to flee their homes, with vast swathes of forest reduced to ash. Ten rescue volunteers and forestry workers lost their lives in a blaze in Eskisehir last week, while four more died outside Bursa over the weekend. Two volunteer firefighters succumbed to injuries after being pulled from an overturned water tanker. 16 Another worker died at the scene and a firefighter suffered a fatal heart attack on Sunday. Turkey's forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed that crews battled at least 44 separate fires on Sunday alone, declaring the western provinces of Izmir and Bilecik disaster areas. Firefighters have battled more than 600 blazes in the past week, with over 1,900 emergency responders drafted in to help save trapped residents. According to forecasts, the temperatures will remain fiery this week with 45C to 50C heat expected in southeast Turkey. Greece Holidaymakers are also being urged to take caution when travelling in Greece this month. A week-long heatwave peaking at 45C has sparked multiple wildfires, forcing mass evacuations near Athens and across the islands of Crete and Evia. A huge blaze scorched a northern suburb of the Greek capital over the weekend, with 115 firefighters and 24 vehicles deployed on Evia, backed by six planes and seven helicopters. Some 1,500 people were evacuated after raging wildfires spread across Crete earlier this month. 16 16 16 The night sky turned orange as the burning blazes left a trail of destruction on the popular island. Evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island's south coast, authorities said. Homes were reportedly damaged as flames swept through hillside forests, fanned by strong winds. Wildfires, many of them destructive, have become a common occurrence in Greece . Greece sits n an area dubbed "a wildfire hotspot", with blazes common during hot and dry summers. Cyprus Meanwhile, Cyprus is still battling what officials have branded its worst wildfires "for 50 years". A massive wildfire killed two people as it ripped through forests outside Cyprus's second city of Limassol. With temperatures soaring to 44C, dozens of homes have been destroyed in the Troodos mountains. Brit couple Lucy and Ben Armstrong were among those left homeless. 16 16 Ben told The Sun: 'We lost everything that day, there's nothing left. 'We had fish tanks in the house and there was absolutely nothing left of what was in the water except melted glass on the floor.' Two people were found dead in a burnt-out car as more than 70 houses were reduced to rubble. Italy Meanwhile, in Sardinia, Italy, tourists were sent running for their lives when flames ripped right down to the beach at Punta Molentis on the island's southeast coast. Sunbathers abandoned their towels and spades as thick black smoke engulfed the shoreline. The coast guard evacuated 102 people by sea, while helicopters hovered overhead during the dramatic operation. Some 200 cars and a kiosk were torched as the blaze tore through the Sarrabus area — described by local media as a 'jewel' now reduced to cinders. Footage showed burnt-out vehicles after flames ravaged the parking area, leaving many stranded. Fire crews deployed two Canadair firefighting planes, a helicopter, regional aircraft, and even an Italian Air Force vehicle to contain the inferno as winds fanned the flames. 16 16
CTV News
22-07-2025
- CTV News
Vacant home fire leads to arson charge in Sarnia
A Sarnia resident has been charged with arson after a fire at a vacant home on Confederation Street on July 13, 2025. (Source: Sarnia police) Sarnia police have laid an arson charge after a residential fire in the city on July 13. Around 3:30 a.m. fire and police were called to a vacant home in the 1100 block of Confederation Street. According to police, the fire caused significant damage and when first responders arrived, they could smell gas. When fire investigators determined the blaze was set on purpose, police took over the criminal investigation. Officers at the scene found evidence of a person bringing a gas can into the home just before the fire ignited. A hote plate was also plugged into a timer at the origin site of the fire. A damage estimate is still being prepared. No injuries were reported and there was no damage to nearby structures. A 49 year old of Lakeshore Road has been arrested and charged.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged with arson after starting fire in woods near Eveleth, Minn.
The Brief A 59-year-old man has been charged with wildfire arson after starting large industrial tire on fire in woods near Eveleth, Minnesota. The fire was extinguished but caused extensive tree damage. The man was arrested and denied starting a fire. EVELETH, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man has been charged after a fire he allegedly set turned into a small wildfire in northern Minnesota. Court documents say that 59-year-old Daniel Dean Kruse was charged with wildfire arson. What we know According to court documents, on the morning of June 3, Eveleth police officers responded to reports of large amounts of smoke coming from the Leonidas Overlook near Eveleth. Flames could be seen from Highway 101, the charges state. When officers arrived, they found a large industrial tire, about 8 to 10 feet tall, fully engulfed in fire. The surrounding trees, shrubs and ground cover were fully engulfed. Fire crews were able to get the fire extinguished, but it had spread about 50 feet, causing severe damage to trees and ground scalding, court documents state. The conditions were dry at the time of the fire, and there was a near critical fire weather advisory in place. A witness who initially reported the fire provided a photo of a man walking away from the area, court documents say. Police encountered the man in the past, and identified him as Kruse. Kruse was eventually located in Eveleth, and denied setting the fire, court documents stated. What's next Kruse's next court appearance is on June 9 at 8:30 a.m. The Source St. Louis County court documents
BBC News
17-05-2025
- BBC News
Second man arrested over fires at homes linked to Keir Starmer
A second man has been arrested in connection with alleged arson attacks in north London at properties connected to Sir Keir 26-year-old was arrested on Saturday at London Luton Airport on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
The National
13-05-2025
- The National
Man arrested after fires at two homes linked to Keir Starmer
A man has been arrested in connection with fires at two properties linked to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in London. The 21-year-old was arrested early on Tuesday on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. He remains in custody. This is a developing story
