By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 11:08 EST, 22 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:50 EST, 23 August 2012 . Greece's secret service is investigating an unusually large number of wildfires across the country to see if arson has been involved. More than 20 major blazes are raging out of control in Greece, including one that has ravaged the eastern Aegean island of Chios for four days. Announcing the decision to bring in the secret service, Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias said in many cases authorities have 'indications, if not proof, that the fires were lit intentionally', including blazes on Chios and the western resort island of Zakynthos. An image released by Nasa shows a thick plume of smoke sent by an intense wildfire that broke out on the Greek island of Chios. The red outlines approximate the locations of active blazes as smoke drifts southwards toward the island of Crete . On Sunday, authorities on the central . Aegean island of Andros arrested two French tourists on suspicion of . starting a forest fire. In Chios, firefighters are battling two major fronts in central and southern areas. Whipped . on by gale-force winds, the blazes have wiped out large tracts of . forest, olive groves and plantations of mastic trees whose resin . production is a mainstay of the island's economy. About . 360 firefighters, soldiers and volunteers are being assisted by two . water-dropping planes and seven helicopters, the fire brigade said. The . blaze began shortly after 2am on Saturday, and authorities estimate . that by yesterday it had destroyed at least 29,650acres of vegetation . amid the island's fortified medieval villages, which have so far escaped . damage. A man runs away from a fire near the village of Kalamoti, on eastern Chios. Greece's secret service is investigating an unusually large number of wildfires across the country to see if arson has been involved . Local residents look at the approaching fire near the village of Kalamoti. In Chios, firefighters are battling two major fronts in central and southern areas . A helicopter drops water over a burning forest on Chios. Whipped on by gale-force winds, the blazes have wiped out large tracts of forest, olive groves and plantations of mastic trees whose resin production is a mainstay of the island's economy . Chios is famous for its mastic, a . gum-like resin with a distinctive flavour produced only by trees on . certain parts of the island. More than half the crop is exported for use . in confectionery, cooking and cosmetics. Forest . fires are common during Greece's long hot summers, but the country has . seen hundreds of blazes in recent weeks following a heat wave. Mr Dendias said: 'We face an incredibly large number of fires.' He added that 589 wildfires have begun in the past 12 days alone, with 16 of them starting on Tuesday morning last week. The . fire brigade said it was battling 22 major blazes, with several in the . southern Peloponnese area where about 60 people died in massive . wildfires five years ago. Another blaze: A car drives through thick smoke as flames creep over the safety fence of a motorway in the region of Nemea, near Corinth city, Peloponnese . Firefighters battle the blaze raging in Nemea. Forest fires are common during Greece's long hot summers, but the country has seen hundreds of blazes in recent weeks following a heat wave . All-consuming: Two girls watch the roaring fire destroy forests on the mountains on Sunday as it moved closer to the beach where evacuees were gathered . Fleeing: Residents from the village of Lithi find refuge at the beach on Sunday as a wildfire burns on the nearby mountains on the island of Chios in the Greek archipelago . Local media reports that the smoke can be seen from the island of Crete, over 60miles south of Chios. The . island is the fifth largest in the Greek archipelago and is a popular . tourist destination with many tourists drawn to its scenery and medieval . villages, which are now at risk. It is not clear if the 11th century monastery of 'Nea Moni', which is a UNESCO . World Heritage Site, will be saved from the flames but local media . reports that the fire is likely to have caused substantial damage to the . islands tourism industry.
Greece's public order minister said in many cases authorities have 'indications, if not proof, that the fires were lit intentionally', including blazes on Chios and the western resort island of Zakynthos .
By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 11:08 EST, 22 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:50 EST, 23 August 2012 . Greece's secret service is investigating an unusually large number of wildfires across the country to see if arson has been involved. More than 20 major blazes are raging out of control in Greece, including one that has ravaged the eastern Aegean island of Chios for four days. Announcing the decision to bring in the secret service, Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias said in many cases authorities have 'indications, if not proof, that the fires were lit intentionally', including blazes on Chios and the western resort island of Zakynthos. An image released by Nasa shows a thick plume of smoke sent by an intense wildfire that broke out on the Greek island of Chios. The red outlines approximate the locations of active blazes as smoke drifts southwards toward the island of Crete . On Sunday, authorities on the central . Aegean island of Andros arrested two French tourists on suspicion of . starting a forest fire. In Chios, firefighters are battling two major fronts in central and southern areas. Whipped . on by gale-force winds, the blazes have wiped out large tracts of . forest, olive groves and plantations of mastic trees whose resin . production is a mainstay of the island's economy. About . 360 firefighters, soldiers and volunteers are being assisted by two . water-dropping planes and seven helicopters, the fire brigade said. The . blaze began shortly after 2am on Saturday, and authorities estimate . that by yesterday it had destroyed at least 29,650acres of vegetation . amid the island's fortified medieval villages, which have so far escaped . damage. A man runs away from a fire near the village of Kalamoti, on eastern Chios. Greece's secret service is investigating an unusually large number of wildfires across the country to see if arson has been involved . Local residents look at the approaching fire near the village of Kalamoti. In Chios, firefighters are battling two major fronts in central and southern areas . A helicopter drops water over a burning forest on Chios. Whipped on by gale-force winds, the blazes have wiped out large tracts of forest, olive groves and plantations of mastic trees whose resin production is a mainstay of the island's economy . Chios is famous for its mastic, a . gum-like resin with a distinctive flavour produced only by trees on . certain parts of the island. More than half the crop is exported for use . in confectionery, cooking and cosmetics. Forest . fires are common during Greece's long hot summers, but the country has . seen hundreds of blazes in recent weeks following a heat wave. Mr Dendias said: 'We face an incredibly large number of fires.' He added that 589 wildfires have begun in the past 12 days alone, with 16 of them starting on Tuesday morning last week. The . fire brigade said it was battling 22 major blazes, with several in the . southern Peloponnese area where about 60 people died in massive . wildfires five years ago. Another blaze: A car drives through thick smoke as flames creep over the safety fence of a motorway in the region of Nemea, near Corinth city, Peloponnese . Firefighters battle the blaze raging in Nemea. Forest fires are common during Greece's long hot summers, but the country has seen hundreds of blazes in recent weeks following a heat wave . All-consuming: Two girls watch the roaring fire destroy forests on the mountains on Sunday as it moved closer to the beach where evacuees were gathered . Fleeing: Residents from the village of Lithi find refuge at the beach on Sunday as a wildfire burns on the nearby mountains on the island of Chios in the Greek archipelago . Local media reports that the smoke can be seen from the island of Crete, over 60miles south of Chios. The . island is the fifth largest in the Greek archipelago and is a popular . tourist destination with many tourists drawn to its scenery and medieval . villages, which are now at risk. It is not clear if the 11th century monastery of 'Nea Moni', which is a UNESCO . World Heritage Site, will be saved from the flames but local media . reports that the fire is likely to have caused substantial damage to the . islands tourism industry.
in many cases authorities have 'indications, if not proof, that the fires were lit intentionally', including blazes on Chios and the western resort island of Zakynthos. An image