This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33564237
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Greece forest fires threaten homes in Athens and in south | Greece forest fires threaten homes in Athens and in south |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Firefighters in Greece are battling outbreaks of wildfires on the outskirts of Athens and 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. | Separately, villages were evacuated in the Peloponnese as wildfires burned through rural land. |
| Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked citizens not to panic. | Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked citizens not to panic. |
| "Everybody needs to stay calm," he said. | "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 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." | "We need to keep calm and we need a collective effort in order to deal with the different fires." |
| 'Critical' | 'Critical' |
| The fires have already damaged several houses. Around 200 people had to be rescued from a beach after becoming trapped by the fires. | |
| The government has requested assistance from other European countries. France says it is sending two firefighting aircraft following the call for help. | |
| Authorities say that over 50 fires 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. | 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. |
| Dozens of people, including elderly women covering their faces with headscarves, tried to put out the flames with buckets of water, Reuters said. | Dozens of people, including elderly women covering their faces with headscarves, tried to put out the flames with buckets of water, Reuters said. |
| Near the town of Monemvassia, in the Peloponnese, flames forced one fire-fighting aircraft to make an emergency landing. | |
| "Things are very bad," Peloponnese Governor Petros Tatoulis reportedly told state television. "The situation is critical. We are working to prevent casualties." | "Things are very bad," Peloponnese Governor Petros Tatoulis reportedly told state television. "The situation is critical. We are working to prevent casualties." |
| 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. |