Tens of thousands flee raging wildfires in Greece
AP – A resident sits on top of a water wagon during a fire at the Mount of
Penteli, 35 kilometers, (22 miles) …
By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, Associated Press Writer – Sun Aug 23,
7:44 pm ET
ATHENS, Greece – A partial drop in gale-force winds early Monday offered hardpressed Greek firefighters a brief respite after wildfires raged for two days north of
Athens, burning houses and swathes of forest while forcing thousands to evacuate
their homes.
Officials warned that the vast blaze was still threatening inhabited areas on the capital's northern fringes and near Marathon — site
of one of history's most famous battlegrounds.
"There are fewer hazardous points," Fire Brigade spokesman Yiannis Kappakis said. "But the blaze is still developing."
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said the fire — one of more than 90 that broke out across Greec over the weekend — was still
very hard to tackle.
"The situation remains very difficult," he said after a fire brigade briefing. "The enormous (firefighting) effort will continue on all fronts
throughout the night."
Firefighters were set to gain a new boost at first light Monday, when water-dropping aircraft will resume operations, assisted by
aircraft from France, Italy and Cyprus. Nearly 2,000 firefighters and soldiers are engaging the blaze on the ground, together with
hundreds of volunteers.
In many afflicted areas, however, despairing residents pleaded for firefighters and equipment that were nowhere to be seen.
Earlier Sunday, thousands of residents of Athens' northern outskirts evacuated their homes, fleeing in cars or on foot. The fire
destroyed several houses as it advanced across an area more than 30 miles (50 kilometers) in circumference.
Six major fires were burning early Monday across Greece. The Athens blaze started north of Marathon plain, and spread over
Mount Penteli — on the city's limit to the north — threatening outlying suburbs.
Driven by gale-force winds, the blaze grew fastest near Marathon, from which the long-distance foot race takes its name, born from
a legendary run after the 490 B.C Athenian victory over an invading Persian army.
One resident, Nikos Adamopoulos, said he had driven over a large part of the area and saw no firefighters.
"The Museum of Marathon is being encircled by fire and flames are closing in on (the archaeological site of) Rhamnus," he told The
Associated Press. Rhamnus is home to two 2,500-year-old temples.
Wildfire makes menacing advance near Los Angeles
AP – Firefighters light a backfire as a wildfire approaches homes during
the Station Fire in La Canada Flintridge, …
By JOHN ANTCZAK, Associated Press Writer – Mon Aug 31, 7:28 pm ET
LOS ANGELES – A deadly wildfire that has blackened a wide swath of tinder-dry
forest around Los Angeles made another menacing advance Monday, surging
toward thousands of suburban homes and a vital mountaintop broadcasting
complex while trapping five people inside a smoky canyon.
Fire crews battling the blaze in the Angeles National Forest tried desperately to
beat back the flames and prayed for weather conditions to ease. The fire was the
largest of at least eight burning across California after days of triple-digit
temperatures and low humidity.
The flames scorched 164 square miles of brush and threatened more than 12,000 homes, but the lack of wind kept them from
driving explosively into the hearts of the dense suburbs northeast of Los Angeles.
"It's burning everywhere," U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Dianne Cahir said. "When it gets into canyons that haven't burned in
numerous years, it takes off. If you have any insight into the good Lord upstairs, put in a request."
Five people who refused to evacuate threatened areas reported they were trapped at a ranch near Gold Creek, Los Angeles County
sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. A sheriff's helicopter was unable to immediately reach them because of intense fire
activity, Whitmore said, but would try after the flames passed.
"What this says is, 'Listen, listen, listen,'" Whitmore said. "Those people were told to get out two days ago, and now we are putting
our people in danger to get them out."
Over the weekend, three people who refused to evacuate were burned when they were overrun by flames, including a couple who
had sought refuge in a hot tub, authorities said.
Columns of smoke billowed high into the air before dispersing into a gauzy white haze that burned eyes and prompted warnings of
unhealthy air throughout the Los Angeles area.
Fire crews set backfires and sprayed fire retardant at Mount Wilson, home to at least 20 television transmission towers, radio and
cell phone antennas, and the century-old Mount Wilson Observatory. The observatory also houses two giant telescopes and several
multimillion-dollar university programs. It is both a landmark for its historic discoveries and a thriving modern center for astronomy.
The fire about a half-mile away was expected to reach the mountaintop sometime Monday night, said Los Angeles County fire Capt.
Mark Whaling. If the flames hit the mountain, cell phone service and TV and radio transmissions would be disrupted, but the extent
was unclear.
The blaze killed two firefighters, destroyed at least 21 homes and forced thousands of evacuations. The firefighters died when their
truck drove off the side of a road with flames all around them.
People who fled returned to find their homes gone.