After 79 arsonists were arrested over wildfires ravaging Greece, police have called out “arsonist scum.”

A number of arsonists have attempted to start new fires on Mount Parnitha, north-west of Athens, according to Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias.

It is one of dozens of wildfires that have already claimed at least 20 lives this week across the country.

It is a crime against the country that you are committing,” Mr Kikilias said.

Mr Kikilias told Greeks during a televised emergency briefing on Thursday that arsonists were setting fires to threaten forests, property and, most importantly, lives.

“You won’t get away with it, we will find you and hold you accountable.”

Scientists have linked climate change to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, in Greece.

In hot weather or with poor vegetation management, more flammable landscapes mean that arson and other incidents can quickly turn into wildfires, says Stefan Doerr, director of Swansea University’s Centre for Wildfire Research.

According to AFP, police and the Greek intelligence service EYP are investigating the incidents.

Of 140 arrests related to wildfires, 79 were related to arson, according to government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis.

Hellenic firefighters have been battling deadly wildfires across the country.

According to European commissioner Janez Lenarcic, the fire front which erupted near Alexandroupolis on Saturday is the largest in the EU’s history.

On Mount Parnitha near Athens, fires have been raging in a forest adjoining the capital, threatening a national park.

A group of 19 migrants, including children, were found dead near the Evros region of north-eastern Greece earlier this week.