Wildfires at the gates of Athens

Published on Sunday 23 August 2009 22:38

GREEK firefighters were last night desperately trying to bring a massive wildfire bearing down on Athens under control, as police ordered thousands of people to evacuate one of the city's outlying suburbs.

Water-bombing planes and helicopters attacked the blaze from dawn. But with gale-force winds propelling the flames, the fire spread unchecked.

Dark plumes of smoke hung over the Acropolis as the flames, raging unchecked for a second day, reached Athens' northern suburbs, testing state resources.

Local authorities used loudspeakers to urge residents of Agios Stefanos to leave the suburb as flames approached. Many abandoned communities around Athens overnight and some were frantically trying to stop the flames from reaching houses with garden hoses and tree branches.

"I call on all residents to follow the instructions of the police as to where they will go," an emotional Agios Stefanos's deputy mayor, Panayiotis Bitakos, said. "We had been begging the authorities since early in the morning to send forces… It is too late now. Too late."

The prime minister, Costas Karamanlis, said: "We are facing a great ordeal. The fire department is making a superhuman effort."

The fires began late on Friday; by yesterday they had spread across an area more than 25 miles wide, having started in the mountains near the town of Marathon. The army removed anti-aircraft missiles from a nearby military base as the flames approached.

Municipal officials said the fire was threatening the archaeological site of Rhamnus, home to two 2,500-year-old temples.

The forests around Athens' northern suburbs have helped the fire spread to new areas.

"The pine cones are like projectiles – they cover long distances, too, and spread the fire around," said Avraam Pasipoularidis, mayor of the northern suburb of Drossia. "Everything around me is burning. A significant part of forest has been lost," WWF Hellas conservation director Constantinos Liarikos said. "This fire will surely affect the Athens region's microclimate."

A state of emergency was declared on Saturday in greater Athens. These are the most destructive fires in Greece since blazes killed more than 70 people in 2007.

Residents fled on foot, by motorbike and in cars, amid blackouts and cuts in the water supply. No casualties had been reported as of last night. Officials said help was on the way.

"There are 14 planes – with two of these coming from Italy – and nine helicopters fighting the fire, alongside hundreds of firefighters, volunteers and soldiers," fire brigade spokesman Yiannis Kapakis told reporters.

"These will soon be joined by two planes from France and a helicopter from Cyprus. Cyprus will also send four fire engines and 60 firefighters," he added.

Summer fires are frequent in Greece, often caused by high temperatures and winds, drought or arson.

In the last three days, more than 200 fires have broke out, some on the islands of Zakynthos, Evia, Skyros and in the central Viotia area.