Planes and helicopters join firefighters on the ground
A firefighter tries to extinguish a fire at a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires breaking out across Greece have stretched firefighting capabilities to the limit, authorities say, voicing suspicions that at least some of the fires have been started deliberately. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A large wildfire north of Athens is threatening homes as it sweeps through pine forest for a second day, uncontained due to high winds.
Fire Service officials two planes and five helicopters are fighting the blaze at Varnava, 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of the Greek capital, while a main road in the area is closed to traffic to give fire trucks better access.
The fire burned out of control for a second day Monday after damaging at least 20 homes the previous day and forcing the evacuation of holiday campsites used in the area for children’s vacations.
No one was hurt, and Fire Service spokeswoman Brigade Manager Stavroula Maliri described all the evacuations as precautionary.
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