Fire threatens Athens as death toll rises

Forest fires that have claimed at least 40 lives raged uncontrolled across vast areas of southern Greece today as a new blaze threatened buildings on the fringes of Athens.

Since Friday morning, more than 170 blazes have raged from the western Ionian islands to Ioannina in northwest Greece, and down to the south.

New fires broke out today 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.

Authorities closed off a major road on Mount Ymittos near Athens as flames approached the capital's eastern outskirts, the fire department said.

Four firefighting aircraft, diverted from the fires in the south, were operating over the area, while clouds of thick smoke billowed over Athens.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis was set to chair 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 called television and radio stations to appeal for help from overstretched firefighters.

Several more villages were evacuated today.

Arson was suspected in several cases, with 20 new fires starting during the night, said fire department spokesman Nikos Diamandis. Police and firefighting investigators were heading to the areas.

Water-dropping helicopters and airplanes were redeployed to battle the fires, but some were hampered for a second day by strong winds.

The deadliest fire was in the western Peloponnese region of southern Greece, where at least 30 people were killed in mountain villages near Zaharo, the fire department said. A massive fire in the area, fanned by strong winds, continued to burn out of control.