This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/8217433.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Greece braced for more fire chaos | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Greek firefighters are facing another day battling wildfires still threatening areas north of Athens. | |
| Thousands of residents of the capital's northern suburbs were forced to leave their homes as dozens of houses and large areas of forest were burnt. | |
| At least six major blazes are reported to be still out of control, although winds died down overnight. | |
| At first light, planes and helicopters resumed operations to drop water on the fires, after a break during the night. | |
| The BBC's Dominic Hughes in Athens says large areas are deserted except for fire crews, army and police, but some residents have refused to leave. | |
| To the north, the town of Marathon, with important archaeological sites, was encircled by fires but appears to have been spared. | |
| See map of affected region | See map of affected region |
| More than 90 fires are thought to have started since Saturday and more than 37,000 acres of land have been burnt. | More than 90 fires are thought to have started since Saturday and more than 37,000 acres of land have been burnt. |
| While no casualties have been reported, a regional Athens governor, Yiannis Sgouros, has called the fires an "ecological disaster". | While no casualties have been reported, a regional Athens governor, Yiannis Sgouros, has called the fires an "ecological disaster". |
| 'Begging for help' | 'Begging for help' |
| AT THE SCENE Malcolm Brabant, BBC News, Drafi, Athens | AT 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 ash bowl. 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 ash bowl. 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. Brabant flees home as fires rage | 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. Brabant flees home as fires rage |
| Almost the entire population of Agios Stefanos, 23km (14 miles) north-east of Athens, fled on Sunday by vehicle or on foot. | Almost the entire population of Agios Stefanos, 23km (14 miles) north-east of Athens, fled on Sunday by vehicle or on foot. |
| But others refused to leave, carrying out a desperate defence of their homes with garden hoses, buckets, and shovels, the BBC's Dominic Hughes reports from Athens. | But others refused to leave, carrying out a desperate defence of their homes with garden hoses, buckets, and shovels, the BBC's Dominic Hughes reports from Athens. |
| Overnight, the town of Marathon found itself threatened with flames reported to have raced down a hill, with ancient monuments and museums in danger, but this threat now appears to have passed. | |
| Some residents have complained there is a shortage of fire crews, as they were spread thinly trying to tackle blazes that almost ring the Greek capital. | Some residents have complained there is a shortage of fire crews, as they were spread thinly trying to tackle blazes that almost ring the Greek capital. |
| One Athens resident told the BBC the fires were having a huge impact on the city. | One Athens resident told the BBC the fires were having a huge impact on the city. |
| "You can smell it, no matter how far away you drive. There's a thick cloud of smoke all over Athens," said Katerina Drakopoulos. | "You can smell it, no matter how far away you drive. There's a thick cloud of smoke all over Athens," said Katerina Drakopoulos. |
| "The streets are packed. People have panicked, just trying to save their houses. It's been ridiculously windy." | "The streets are packed. People have panicked, just trying to save their houses. It's been ridiculously windy." |
| The mayor of Marathon, Spyros Zagaris, said he had been "begging the government to send over planes and helicopters" to no avail. | The mayor of Marathon, Spyros Zagaris, said he had been "begging the government to send over planes and helicopters" to no avail. |
| "There are only two fire engines here. Three houses are already on fire and we are just watching helplessly," he told a Greek television channel. | "There are only two fire engines here. Three houses are already on fire and we are just watching helplessly," he told a Greek television channel. |
| 'Difficult fight' | 'Difficult fight' |
| Mayor Zagaris was among several local leaders who accused the government of having no plan to fight the fire. | Mayor Zagaris was among several local leaders who accused the government of having no plan to fight the fire. |
| But Finance Minister Yiannis Papathanassiou dismissed the claims. | But Finance Minister Yiannis Papathanassiou dismissed the claims. |
| "This is not the time for criticism under these tragic conditions," he was quoted as saying by AP news agency. "We are fighting a difficult fight." | "This is not the time for criticism under these tragic conditions," he was quoted as saying by AP news agency. "We are fighting a difficult fight." |
| The winds died down during the night, allowing firefighters some respite, and ground crews worked to create fire protection zones after planes and helicopters stopped flying as darkness fell. | The winds died down during the night, allowing firefighters some respite, and ground crews worked to create fire protection zones after planes and helicopters stopped flying as darkness fell. |
| Fighting the flames In pictures: Greek wildfires Greek wildfires: Your pictures | |
| At first light on Monday, water-dropping aircraft resumed operations, and are due to be assisted by aircraft from France, Italy and Cyprus. Strong winds are expected to resume by midday. | |
| Nearly 2,000 firefighters and soldiers are engaging the blaze on the ground, together with hundreds of volunteers. | Nearly 2,000 firefighters and soldiers are engaging the blaze on the ground, together with hundreds of volunteers. |
| Multiple fires have been burning across an area some 50km wide, fanned by strong and unpredictable winds. | Multiple fires have been burning across an area some 50km wide, fanned by strong and unpredictable winds. |
| Dozens of homes were burnt down and a state of emergency was declared in the Athens area, which was shrouded in smoke. | Dozens of homes were burnt down and a state of emergency was declared in the Athens area, which was shrouded in smoke. |
| The fires began late on Friday in Grammatiko, near Marathon. They spread rapidly through forests, and by Sunday morning, were closing in on the Athens suburbs of Drafi, Pikermi and Pallini. | The fires began late on Friday in Grammatiko, near Marathon. They spread rapidly through forests, and by Sunday morning, were closing in on the Athens suburbs of Drafi, Pikermi and Pallini. |
| The fires are the worst since those in 2007 which killed about 70 people. | The fires are the worst since those in 2007 which killed about 70 people. |
| In July, dozens of fires burnt through thousands of hectares of land in other parts of Greece, Spain, France and Italy. | In July, dozens of fires burnt through thousands of hectares of land in other parts of 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. |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |
| Are you in the area? Have you been affected by the fires? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in the area? Have you been affected by the fires? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| You can also send us your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here. | You can also send us your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |