The Xinhua General News Service
ATHENS, Greece — Greek authorities battled a string of wildfires near Athens and other parts of the country on Saturday, on the eve of the closely watched Sunday’s national elections that could determine whether the “flames” of the Greek debt crisis will lead to a catastrophic default and Greece’s exit from the eurozone.
A major wildfire was burning uncontrolled at a 10-kilometres front by the sea side at Keratea and Palea Fokea at the southeastern part of Attica prefecture, some 30 km from Athens, said a local Fire Brigade spokesman.
Approximately 120 fire fighters on 65 fire engines, four airplanes and a helicopter are struggling to contain the blazes against strong winds blowing at seven on Beaufort scale.
For precautionary measures an elderly people’s home and several houses have been evacuated. No injuries, or major material damages have been reported.
According to the nearby City of Lavreotiki Mayor Constantinos Levantis, there are suspicions of arson, as municipality employees reported that they saw unidentified persons fleeing the area where the fire started, shortly before smoke appears.
According to the Greek Fire Brigade, three smaller wildfires were reported across Attica, at the northern sea front near the towns of Marathon and Kalamos and another one at mountain Penteli.
Authorities were also on alert at the southern part of Greece at Peloponnese, where a similar wildfire threatened an inhabited are near the city of Neapolis.
Copyright 2012 Xinhua News Agency