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Greece forest fires threaten homes in Athens and in south Greece forest fires threaten homes in Athens and in south
(about 5 hours later)
Firefighters in Greece are battling wildfires on the eastern outskirts of Athens, and more fires in the southern Peloponnese peninsula which have forced villagers to flee. Firefighters in Greece are battling outbreaks of wildfires on the outskirts of Athens and the southern Peloponnese peninsula which have forced villagers to flee.
The blaze outside the capital spread quickly on a hillside and blanketed parts of the city in thick smoke.The blaze outside the capital spread quickly on a hillside and blanketed parts of the city in thick smoke.
Separately, villages were evacuated in the Peloponnese as wildfires burned through rural land.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked citizens not to panic.
"Everybody needs to stay calm," he said.
"We will require volunteers contributing wherever is allowed by the fire brigade, who are in charge of the operations.
"We need to keep calm and we need a collective effort in order to deal with the different fires."
'Critical'
The government has requested assistance from other European countries. An expected government reshuffle has now been delayed.
Police told Reuters news agency that 34 separate fires had broken out on four main fronts in a region stretching from the island of Evia, north-east of Athens, to the southern Peloponnese.
Fire initially broke out near the north-eastern Athens district of Kareas but within hours had crossed Mount Hymettus and was threatening the districts of Ilioupoli and Glyfada close to the Athens coast, reports said.
Crews fought to keep the flames away from nearby residential areas.Crews fought to keep the flames away from nearby residential areas.
Separately, several villages were evacuated in the Peloponnese as wildfires burned through rural land. Dozens of people, including elderly women covering their faces with headscarves, tried to put out the flames with buckets of water, Reuters said.
The flames, near the town of Monemvassia, forced one fire-fighting aircraft to make an emergency landing, according to reports. Near the town of Monemvassia, in the Peloponnese, flames forced one fire-fighting aircraft to make an emergency landing, according to reports.
"It's hellish right now, there are hundreds of pockets of fire," Iraklis Trichilis, mayor of the town of Monemvassia, earlier told Skai television. "Things are very bad," Peloponnese Governor Petros Tatoulis reportedly told state television. "The situation is critical. We are working to prevent casualties."
The fire outside Athens, fanned by strong winds, burned through woodland on Mount Hymettus, forcing some residents to flee their homes, Greece's Kathimerini newspaper said.
Although forest fires are not unusual in Greece, local media say these are bigger than in recent years.Although forest fires are not unusual in Greece, local media say these are bigger than in recent years.