ZAHARO, Greece (AP): Forest fires that have taken at least 40 lives raged uncontrolled across vast areas of southern Greece on Saturday, the fire department said, and a new blaze damaged buildings on the fringes of Athens.
Since Friday morning, more than 170 blazes fires have burned from the western Ionian islands to Ioannina in northwest Greece, and down to the south. New fires broke out Saturday, and fears grew that the death toll could rise as rescue crews reached villages that had been surrounded by walls of flames during the night.
Arson was suspected in several cases, with 20 new fires starting Arson was suspected in several cases, with 20 new fires starting during the night, said fire department spokesman Nikos Diamandis.
uthorities evacuated nuns from a convent and closed off a major highway on Mount Ymittos near Athens as flames approached the capital's eastern outskirts, damaging buildings in the Papagou suburb, the fire department said. No injuries were reported.
Six firefighting aircraft, diverted from the fires in the south, were operating over the area, while clouds of thick smoke billowed over Athens.
As flags flew at half-staff over Parliament and other government buildings, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis led an emergency meeting of senior ministers in Athens.
"This is a day of national mourning," Karamanlis said after visiting afflicted areas. "I wish to express my deep grief over the lost lives. ... We are fighting against heavy odds, on many fronts and under particularly tough conditions."
Desperate residents and local mayors call television and radio stations to appeal for help from overstretched firefighters.
Several more villages were evacuated on Saturday morning.
Water-dropping helicopters and airplanes were redeployed to battle the fires, but some were hampered for a second day by strong winds. (**)
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