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Fire threat empties Athens suburb Athens locals flee as fires rage
(about 3 hours later)
Residents of an entire Athens suburb have been ordered from their homes as out-of-control wildfires blaze around the Greek capital. Several thousand residents of Athens' northern suburbs have evacuated their homes as several wildfires continue to blaze around the Greek capital.
The 10,000 residents of Agios Stefanos, 23km (14 miles) north-east of Athens, were to leave the suburb immediately. Almost the entire population of Agios Stefanos, 23km (14 miles) north-east of Athens, fled by vehicle or on foot.
Fires have been burning in a wide arc north-east of Athens, pushed by strong and unpredictable winds. Multiple fires have been burning across an area some 50km wide, fanned by strong and unpredictable winds.
The fires - the worst since those in 2007 which killed about 70 people - are being called an environmental disaster.The fires - the worst since those in 2007 which killed about 70 people - are being called an environmental disaster.
Italy, France and Cyprus are sending aircraft to help the hard-pressed Greek fire crews. name="upagain">
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has said the country is facing "a great ordeal" but has praised the emergency services for making "a superhuman effort". Firefighting efforts were suspended as darkness fell on Sunday, with several major blazes still burning into the night, although no casualties have been reported.
Dozens of homes have been torched and authorities have declared a state of emergency in the Athens area but no casualties have been reported. class="bodl" href="#map">See map of affected region
Although the fires had reportedly retreated from the capital's suburbs and were burning mainly forest land, unpredictable winds meant populated areas were still at risk.
"The constant shift in the wind's direction is rekindling the flames," fire brigade spokesman Giannis Kapakis told Reuters news agency. "We must all remain calm through this night."
Dozens of homes were burnt down and a state of emergency was declared in the Athens area.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said the country was facing "a great ordeal" but praised the emergency services for making "a superhuman effort".
Italy, France and Cyprus have sent aircraft to help the hard-pressed Greek fire crews.
'Too late''Too late'
"I call on all residents to follow the instructions of the police as to where they will go," the deputy mayor of Agios Stefanos, Panayiotis Bitakos, said on Skai TV. Police with loudspeakers went through Agios Stefanos earlier on Sunday telling residents to head immediately to Athens.
AT THE SCENE Malcolm Brabant, BBC News, Drafi, AthensAT THE SCENE Malcolm Brabant, BBC News, Drafi, Athens
In leafy suburbs like Drafi, barely a tree has been left standing. A once beautiful green valley has been turned into a giant ashbowl. But almost all the expensive houses somehow survived.In leafy suburbs like Drafi, barely a tree has been left standing. A once beautiful green valley has been turned into a giant ashbowl. But almost all the expensive houses somehow survived.
We had to leave our modest home just before dawn as fire raced up the hill, but the flames stopped at the back garden wall. Many residents have similar narrow escapes to recount.We had to leave our modest home just before dawn as fire raced up the hill, but the flames stopped at the back garden wall. Many residents have similar narrow escapes to recount.
But the biggest casualty has been the environment. The loss of so much foliage is going to have an enormous negative impact on air quality in Athens. The wooded hillsides on the outskirts of the capital acted as its lungs and air conditioning units, providing much needed oxygen and cooler air.But the biggest casualty has been the environment. The loss of so much foliage is going to have an enormous negative impact on air quality in Athens. The wooded hillsides on the outskirts of the capital acted as its lungs and air conditioning units, providing much needed oxygen and cooler air.
"We had been begging the authorities since early in the morning to send forces... It is too late now. Too late." "We had been begging the authorities since early in the morning to send forces," said Panayiotis Bitakos, the area's deputy mayor. "It is too late now. Too late."
Police with loudspeakers went through the suburb telling residents to head immediately to Athens. The fires are reported to have begun late on Friday near the site of a planned waste disposal facility in Grammatiko, near the ancient town of Marathon.
"The winds are stronger and change direction all the time, spreading the fire even further," fire brigade spokesman Giannis Kapakis told Reuters. They spread rapidly across the hills outside Athens, burning through forests, olive groves and encroaching on suburbs.
The fires are reported to have begun late on Friday near the site of a planned waste disposal facility in Grammatiko, near the ancient town of Marathon. name="upagain"> The fires grew larger over Saturday and spread to Varnavas. By Sunday morning, houses were burning in the Athens suburbs of Drafi, Pikermi and Pallini.
They have spread rapidly across the hills outside Athens, burning through forests, olive groves and encroaching on suburbs.
The fires grew larger over Saturday and spread to Varnavas. By Sunday morning, houses were burning in the Athens suburbs of Drafi, Pikermi and Pallini. See map of affected region
Overnight, fires also crested the top of Pendeli, a hilly, northern suburb with a panoramic view of Athens, setting houses alight.Overnight, fires also crested the top of Pendeli, a hilly, northern suburb with a panoramic view of Athens, setting houses alight.
Much of Pendeli mountain was laid waste in 2007, the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens says. Much of Pendeli mountain was laid waste in 2007, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens.
Three of the four mountains surrounding the capital have already been stripped of their trees by previous fires and further erosion of the forest cover would be an ecological disaster, our correspondent adds. Three of the four mountains surrounding the capital have already been stripped of their trees by previous fires and further erosion of the forest cover would be devastating, our correspondent adds.
'Great ordeal''Great ordeal'
Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers - backed by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft dropping water - are battling the fires but they are too numerous and widespread to contain, our correspondent says. Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers - backed by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft dropping water - battled the fires but they were too numerous and widespread to contain, our correspondent says.
"The situation is tragic. Fires are out of control on many fronts," said a regional Athens governor, Yiannis Sgouros.
He told Greek television more than 30,000 acres of land had been burnt in what he described as "an ecological disaster".
Many residents of the threatened towns and suburbs have fled by car, motorbike and on foot, but others have stayed behind to try to defend their homes.
In pictures: Greek wild firesIn pictures: Greek wild fires
A regional Athens governor, Yiannis Sgouros, told Greek television that more than 30,000 acres of land had been burnt, in what he described as "an ecological disaster".
While many residents of the threatened areas followed instructions to evacuate, others stayed behind to try to defend their homes.
Two children's hospitals, a summer camp and a psychiatric clinic have been evacuated.Two children's hospitals, a summer camp and a psychiatric clinic have been evacuated.
"We urge everyone to comply with the instructions of those responsible," Mr Karamanlis said. "We face a great ordeal." The fires have left a thick haze of smoke hanging over much of Athens.
Another governor in the Athens region, Leonidas Kouris, called the fires "a very significant environmental disaster, perhaps the gravest in recent years".
The fires have sent a thick haze of smoke spreading across much of Athens.
Other fires are burning in the central Greek region of Viotia, on the Ionian island of Zakynthos, which has already been hit by fires this summer, and on the Aegean islands of Skyros and Evia.Other fires are burning in the central Greek region of Viotia, on the Ionian island of Zakynthos, which has already been hit by fires this summer, and on the Aegean islands of Skyros and Evia.
In July, dozens of fires burnt through thousands of hectares of land in Greece, Spain, France and Italy.In July, dozens of fires burnt through thousands of hectares of land in Greece, Spain, France and Italy.
According to the conservation group Greenpeace, heat waves and drier conditions are leading to larger and more uncontrollable forest fires across the whole Mediterranean region.According to the conservation group Greenpeace, heat waves and drier conditions are leading to larger and more uncontrollable forest fires across the whole Mediterranean region.
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