*Raging Forest fire damages homes along Greek coast*

20 Jun 2008 14:43:08 GMT
Source: Reuters

ATHENS, June 20 (Reuters) - A forest fire raged unchecked near the Greek
capital on Friday, damaging holiday homes, but no injuries were
reported, fire fighters said.

Scores of firefighters and six aircraft were battling the blaze, which,
fanned by strong winds, was getting closer to the coastal town of
Kalamos, 35 km (22 miles) northeast of Athens.

"Two homes have been damaged. It's getting very close to other homes and
unless the wind subsides, it will get worse," said a police official,
who declined to be named.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze. Six fire fighting
planes, three helicopters and 26 fire engines were dispatched to the
scene, as well as more than 100 firefighters.

Last year Greece saw some of the worst forest fires in memory, caused by
record-high temperatures, drought and arsonists.

Wildfires swept through dozens of villages in the Peloponnese, in
southern Greece, during a 10-day inferno and brought the country to a
state of emergency, killing 65 people and devastating the local economy.
(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos and Renee Maltezou; editing by
Elizabeth Piper)