Strong winds in Greece fan raging forest fires
Pastor Dale Morgan
Strong winds in Greece fan raging forest fires*
ATHENS, July 14 (AFP) Jul 14, 2007
Strong winds reaching over 40 kilometres (25 miles) per hour on Saturday
fanned several forest fires around the country but inhabited areas were
not in threat, the fire brigade said.
The most serious blaze was near the town of Pylos in the southwestern
Peloponnese, where a force of 37 firefighters with 13 engines and 5
aircraft has been dispatched, a brigade press officer told AFP.
"The fire is under control, there are two villages nearby but they are
not in any danger," Pylos mayor George Chronopoulos told state NET
television.
Another three aircraft and three fire engines were dispatched to deal
with a fire on the Cycladic island of Andros.
Earlier in the day, fires broke out near Athens in the rural community
of Keratea and the northern district of Menidi but were quickly
extinguished.
A total of 96 fires have been recorded around the country since Friday,
the press officer said.
Last week, hundreds of people were evacuated on the Aegean island of
Skiathos when a fire threatened their homes and hotels.
The whole of Greece's eastern mainland and many Aegean islands have been
placed in a high state of fire alert for Sunday, when winds are expected
to pick up.
Greece has been hit by scores of fires in recent weeks following a
heatwave at the end of June that was the longest in over 100 years.
The most damaging ravaged between 2,500 and 4,000 hectares on Mount
Parnitha, a forest north of Athens that includes a national park and was
meant to be among the best protected in the country.