Greece counts cost as firefighters master fires around Athens

ATHENS: Greece on Wednesday counted the cost of devastating fires outside Athens that claimed one life, forced thousands to flee their homes and took three days to control.

With the smoke still to clear, civil protection officials said the fire devoured 10,000 hectares (nearly 25,000 acres), destroying about 100 homes as well as many other buildings and cars.

While isolated fires still burned, there were no major active blazes, but some 570 firefighters and 174 vehicles were monitoring events, said the fire service.

“We are still in the area but there is no (threat). Some pockets of fire spring up but are dealt with,” a fire service spokesman told AFP.

The fire broke out on Sunday at Varnavas, near the historic town of Marathon, 40-kms northeast of Athens.

Investigators think a faulty electricity pole may have been the cause, the Kathimerini newspaper reported.

Strong winds fed the flames, turning it into the worst wildfire this year in Greece.

As the flames approached the suburbs of the capital, teams from France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia and Turkey mobilised through an EU scheme to help Greece master the fires.

A Turkish helicopter and two Italian planes have already joined the effort in Athens while a Serbian helicopter saw action against a fire in Serres, northern Greece, the spokesman said.

The largest force, over 160 firefighters and 55 fire engines sent by France, is expected later Wednesday.