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| Foreigners help fight Greek fires | Foreigners help fight Greek fires |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Firefighting aircraft from several countries are helping Greece tackle devastating forest fires that have killed at least 60 people. | Firefighting aircraft from several countries are helping Greece tackle devastating forest fires that have killed at least 60 people. |
| Large swathes of Greece - from the island of Evia north of Athens to the Peloponnese in the south - have been ravaged by the inferno since Friday. | Large swathes of Greece - from the island of Evia north of Athens to the Peloponnese in the south - have been ravaged by the inferno since Friday. |
| Greek police have arrested 32 arson suspects, as investigations continue into the origins of the blazes. | |
| A 1m euro (£678,000) reward has been offered to help catch fire-starters. | |
| Dozens of new fires continue to break out, fanned by hot, dry winds. | Dozens of new fires continue to break out, fanned by hot, dry winds. |
| The fires have gutted hundreds of homes, forcing thousands of villagers to flee and blackening hillsides. | The fires have gutted hundreds of homes, forcing thousands of villagers to flee and blackening hillsides. |
| Water-bombing aircraft from France, Italy and Canada are in action, with more international aid expected. | Water-bombing aircraft from France, Italy and Canada are in action, with more international aid expected. |
| See map of affected areas | |
| Ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Olympics, was in danger on Sunday, but firefighters managed to keep it safe. | Ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Olympics, was in danger on Sunday, but firefighters managed to keep it safe. |
| Culture Minister George Voulgarakis went to Olympia, in the Peloponnese, to oversee the emergency effort. | Culture Minister George Voulgarakis went to Olympia, in the Peloponnese, to oversee the emergency effort. |
| "All the people, the firefighters, the policemen, the volunteers, they fought with the fire and the museum is as it was." | "All the people, the firefighters, the policemen, the volunteers, they fought with the fire and the museum is as it was." |
| The BBC's Dominic Hughes on the island of Evia says several massive fires are burning in the thickly wooded hills. On Sunday five bodies were found on the island. | The BBC's Dominic Hughes on the island of Evia says several massive fires are burning in the thickly wooded hills. On Sunday five bodies were found on the island. |
| "Over the weekend the sky was grey-brown over Athens and Kifissia, the air full of smoke and the sun - a dim spot," said Gabriella Gosevits, an Athens resident, in an e-mail to the BBC News website. | "Over the weekend the sky was grey-brown over Athens and Kifissia, the air full of smoke and the sun - a dim spot," said Gabriella Gosevits, an Athens resident, in an e-mail to the BBC News website. |
| "There was ash all over the place and the smell of burnt wood was everywhere." | "There was ash all over the place and the smell of burnt wood was everywhere." |
| Thousands of Greek firefighters are being supported by 20 water-bombing planes and 19 helicopters. At least 11 countries are helping Greece fight the fires with planes, helicopters and specialist firefighters. | Thousands of Greek firefighters are being supported by 20 water-bombing planes and 19 helicopters. At least 11 countries are helping Greece fight the fires with planes, helicopters and specialist firefighters. |
| Suspected arsonists | Suspected arsonists |
| Nikos Diamandis, a Greek fire department spokesman, told the Associated Press news agency: "Fires are burning in more than half the country. This is definitely an unprecedented disaster for Greece." | Nikos Diamandis, a Greek fire department spokesman, told the Associated Press news agency: "Fires are burning in more than half the country. This is definitely an unprecedented disaster for Greece." |
| The hill of Kronos, overlooking Olympia, was engulfed by fire In pictures: Greek inferno | The hill of Kronos, overlooking Olympia, was engulfed by fire In pictures: Greek inferno |
| Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has declared a nationwide state of emergency. | Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has declared a nationwide state of emergency. |
| The reward, put up by the Greek government, is for anyone providing information which leads to the arrest of an arsonist. | The reward, put up by the Greek government, is for anyone providing information which leads to the arrest of an arsonist. |
| "The reward is set between 100,000 and 1m euros for every [act] of arson, depending on whether death or serious injury occurred and the size of the damage," a Greek government statement said. | "The reward is set between 100,000 and 1m euros for every [act] of arson, depending on whether death or serious injury occurred and the size of the damage," a Greek government statement said. |
| The fires could have been started as a way of getting around Greek law which forbids development on areas designated as forest land. | The fires could have been started as a way of getting around Greek law which forbids development on areas designated as forest land. |
| At ancient Olympia, flames licked the edges of the original Olympic stadium and scorched the yard of the museum, home to one of Greece's greatest archaeological collections. | At ancient Olympia, flames licked the edges of the original Olympic stadium and scorched the yard of the museum, home to one of Greece's greatest archaeological collections. |
| Athens itself was shrouded in smoke that obscured the sun as several fires threatened the city's outskirts. | Athens itself was shrouded in smoke that obscured the sun as several fires threatened the city's outskirts. |
| Peloponnese worst hit | Peloponnese worst hit |
| The rapidly advancing fires caught many people unaware. Those who left the decision to flee too late were caught in their houses, cars, or as they stumbled through olive groves. | The rapidly advancing fires caught many people unaware. Those who left the decision to flee too late were caught in their houses, cars, or as they stumbled through olive groves. |
| At least 39 people were reported to have been killed in the worst affected region, around the town of Zaharo in the western Peloponnese, by a fire that broke out on Friday and quickly spread. | At least 39 people were reported to have been killed in the worst affected region, around the town of Zaharo in the western Peloponnese, by a fire that broke out on Friday and quickly spread. |
| Another four bodies were discovered in the central Peloponnese region of Arcadia. | Another four bodies were discovered in the central Peloponnese region of Arcadia. |
| A 65-year-old man has been charged with arson and murder relating to a fire which killed six people in Areopolis, in the far south of Greece. | A 65-year-old man has been charged with arson and murder relating to a fire which killed six people in Areopolis, in the far south of Greece. |
| Two youths were also detained on suspicion of arson in the northern city of Kavala. | Two youths were also detained on suspicion of arson in the northern city of Kavala. |
| The head of the conservation charity WWF Greece, Demetris Karavellas, told the BBC's World Today programme that Greece lacked a forest registry, "so in many cases it's not entirely clear what is forest and what is land for construction". | The head of the conservation charity WWF Greece, Demetris Karavellas, told the BBC's World Today programme that Greece lacked a forest registry, "so in many cases it's not entirely clear what is forest and what is land for construction". |
| "There is strong pressure for tourism, for more and more development... I hope the public, at least, with the amazing damage that we are going through right now, will really create a lot more political pressure," he said. | "There is strong pressure for tourism, for more and more development... I hope the public, at least, with the amazing damage that we are going through right now, will really create a lot more political pressure," he said. |
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