GREECE: The battle to extinguish deadly fires continues

The Greek government declared the entire country in a state of emergency on Saturday (August 25, 2007) as fires raged from east to west claiming lives in their path. The worst fronts were in three provinces on the Peloponnese peninsula, and particularly in the towns and villages around the western coastal town of Zacharo, where many people died. Dozens of villages were swallowed by flames, consuming homes, cars, churches, and forcing the evacuation of scores of people. The death toll rose to 47 with firefighters finding the deceased burned in their cars and homes. Military Puma helicopters and a Chinook helicopter were helping to evacuate residents trapped in their homes unable to leave by road. Police brought in dozens of buses as more and more villages were cleared out. "Well, hopefully, we have to be careful, make sure we follow instructions, but at the the moment it should be OK. You can see there are lots of fires around," said one English tourist. The elderly were among those ferried away by bus. "I'm upset, I'm sad I have to leave my home and now it's going to burn down," said an 89-year-old woman. The entire fire department was fighting the blazes in the region as well as across Greece, estimated at more than 80 on Saturday - including 9,000 firemen, 1,800 fire engines, 19 airplanes and 18 helicopters. France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Israel, Norway and Cyprus were just some of the countries sending planes, helicopters, and fire engines to assist the blazes. France was also sending 75 firefighters and Cyprus 30. Power was out in many parts of the peninsula after electricity pylons were engulfed in flames. Police officials said fierce winds had caused the fires to spread but suspected many of the blazes were due to arson. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said it was "no coincidence" that so many fires had erupted simultaneously in the country. The worst fears grew as night began to fall, as planes and helicopters could not fly and aid in the effort, leaving only ground forces to try and stop the blazes from burning more homes and claiming more lives.

ITN Source | August 26, 2007

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