from melting ice to Greek hell-fire

About half of Greece is up in flames, unimaginable!
I have been to Greece several times and adored the beauty, grace, history and friendliness of their people.
As a 14 year old boy I remember taking pictures with a cheap ass plastic camera of the remnants of the Zeus temple in Olympia. I was enchanted and in awe. The fuzzy images of the camera have faded, but my mental remembrance has not. So presently around the town of Zaharo, south of Ancient Olympia in the western Peloponnese, thick smoke blocks out the intense summer sun and can be seen from more than 60 miles away. The blaze broke out Friday afternoon and quickly engulfed villages, trapping dozens of people and killing at least 39. Scores of people were treated in hospitals for burns and breathing problems.
I am devastated - Greece is burning to hell!
My question: Why would people set fires to burn down their own territory - has the world gone insane - do we live amongst total maniacs with a superior death wish? Who are these people?