Olympic village escapes forest blaze

Hundreds of firefighters battled gale-whipped blazes today that claimed at least one life, burned more than a dozen outlying homes and threatened two northern suburbs – including one that is home to the Olympic Village.

It took more than five hours to contain the wildfires sweeping over the foot of Mount Parnis, which has a thickly forested national park. Officials said they found the charred body of a 40-year-old man in the area.

The deputy fire chief, Andreas Kois, said the fires were “under control,” but crews would remain in the area until tomorrow because of fears the strong winds could rekindle the flames.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but past summer wildfires in Greece have been blamed on extremely dry brush and land developers seeking to take advantage of laws that allow construction on burned land.

More than a dozen houses were destroyed by the fire, which was pushed by strong winds toward the suburbs of Acharnes and Thrakomakedones, about nine miles north of central Athens. Police ordered widespread evacuations of the suburbs, home to more than 40,000 people.

Before it was halted, the front of the fire was about 2 1/2 miles from the newly built Olympic Village, which will house 16,000 athletes and officials during the August 13-29 Games.

More than 300 firefighters, 200 troops, 60 fire trucks, eight special planes and five helicopters were called in to slow the fast-moving walls of flames, officials said.