Authorities in Greece have arrested 79 individuals for arson, as firefighters across the country continue to take on hundreds of deadly wildfires.

The fires have already claimed the lives of 20 people this week, pushing the nation into a state of emergency. 

Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias called those arrested “arsonist scum” and accused them of endangering the lives of citizens, and the nation’s natural treasures.

 “You will not get away with it,” Kikilias said during a televised emergency briefing, “we will find you, you will be held accountable.”

Pavlos Marinakis, a government spokesperson, said that out of 140 arrests related to the wildfires, 79 were linked to suspected arson. 

As investigations continue, the fires continue to wreak havoc, with the largest fire near the port city of Alexandroupolis being the EU’s largest on record.

The flames have also encroached on Greece’s cherished Mount Parnitha near Athens.

Spain also dealing with arsonists

Last week, a wildfire that has been ripping through Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, is believed to have been deliberately started. 

Law enforcement authorities in Spain have initiated three lines of investigation into the apparent act of arson, although no arrests have been reported yet.

The fire erupted on Wednesday and has since forced more than 12,000 residents to evacuate their homes from over eleven towns. 

Canary Islands President, Fernando Clavijo, said on Sunday that the arsonists “put the lives of thousands of people and property at risk.” 

Over 11,600 hectares of pine forests and scrubland has been scorched by the fire. Tenerife has not witnessed such a catastrophic fire in decades, and the flames are threatening multiple town areas that flank the rugged mountains.