Forest fire burns homes near Athens

The wide destruction of homes and properties could be seen on Sunday as a massive wildfire that broke out on Friday night continued to burn. Exhausted firefighters battled the blaze throughout the night but with fireplanes and helicopters grounded due to darkness failed to contain it despite military assistance and prevent flames from engulfing homes. The fire had passed through 10 villages, burning homes, farms, olive groves and thousands of acres of forest and brush. In the village of Rodopoli, near Grammatikos and some 22 kilometres north of Athens, where residents had fled from overnight, images of destruction emerged with the first morning light. Houses have been burned to the ground and residents who returned as the fire finally retreated entered their homes and watched helplessly at the sight of the damage. Houses were without roofs, furniture was charred, cars were burnt. The fire first erupted on Friday evening in the region of Grammatikos, 55 kilometres from Athens. Firefighters had managed to contain the fire but then lost control of the raging flames on Saturday morning, which spread south, west and east from Grammatikos.