Updated 15:39 | Published at 3:05 p.m
Even during Thursday, firefighters are fighting to take control of the forest fires raging in northeastern Greece and on the outskirts of the capital, Athens.
20 people have died and sixty firefighters have been injured in the fires, which, due to strong winds combined with temperatures above 40 degrees, spread rapidly.
According to the Greek Minister of Climate and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, a number of the fires raging near Athens have been started by pyromaniacs.
– What is happening is not only unacceptable, but despicable and criminal, Kikilias said in a statement on Greek television on Wednesday.
According to Kikilias, nine of the fires were set in the space of four hours in the area of Avlona, which is located on the Parnes mountain range, near the Greek capital.
– You are committing a crime against the country and will not get away with it. We will find you and bring you to justice, he said in a warning to the perpetrators.
The European Commission states that it has sent nearly 250 firefighters, as well as a number of firefighting planes from eight EU countries to Greece in an attempt to put out the fires.