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Wildfire scorches Athens suburb


    ATHENS (Reuters) - A forest fire scorched northern suburbs of Athens on Wednesday, sending residents fleeing from their homes and closing one of the main highways into the Greek capital, officials and witnesses said.

    Seven aircraft and 25 fire trucks fought to control theblaze as witnesses reported flames had reached the gardens ofhouses in Kryoneri, on the outskirts of Athens, revivingmemories of deadly forest fires which swept Greece last year.

    Police officials said no houses had been burnt so far,although some outbuildings had been damaged.

    State television showed the main national highway intonortheast Athens empty of vehicles, as orange flames lickedthrough the brush and grey smoke swept across the road.

    "We have cut off traffic ... on the national highway nearthe fire front," Kostas Koumandanos, head of traffic police forthe Attica region surrounding Athens, told state television.

    A Reuters photographer in Kryoneri said dozens of residentswere fleeing their homes as the flames approached.

    Hundreds of wildfires have hit Greece already this year assummer temperatures have soared. A record heatwave last Augustsparked a 10-day inferno in southern Greece which killed 65people.

    Environmental groups have criticised the conservative NewDemocracy government for not doing enough to prevent arecurrence of the tragedy. The government insists it has takenthe necessary precautions.

    (Reporting by Yiorgos Karahalis; writing by Daniel Flynn)