Two people were arrested on Saturday in Greece, suspected of starting several of the forest fires that have ravaged the country in recent weeks.
At the same time, hundreds of firefighters are still battling the blazes, which have so far killed 21 people.
One of the men was arrested on the island of Evia. He is suspected of having set fire to dry grass near the island’s southern coast.
According to the fire brigade, the man has admitted that he started a total of four fires in the area between July and August this year.
The second man was arrested in the area of Larissa in central Greece, also suspected of deliberately setting fire to dry grass.
Greece has been plagued by dozens of fires in the past week. During Friday, the firefighters handled a total of 111 fires, according to the fire brigade.
Several of the fires are set and classified as arson, according to the authorities.
– You are committing a crime against the country, said Vassilis Kikilias, climate and civil protection minister, on Thursday.
– We will find you and you will be held accountable.
However, whether the most extensive fires in the country are arson is still unclear.
Since the start of this year’s fire season, 163 people have been arrested for “fire-related” reasons, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said on Friday.
It is in the largest fires, including in the northeastern regions of Evros and Alexandroupolis, that most deaths have occurred.