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Wildfire shuts highway into Athens


    ATHENS (Reuters) - A forest fire north of Athens sent residents fleeing from their homes and closed a main highway into the Greek capital before it was brought under control on Wednesday, officials said.

    Seven aircraft and 25 fire trucks fought the blaze, whichreached the gardens of houses in Kryoneri, on the outskirts ofAthens, reviving memories of deadly forest fires which sweptGreece last year.

    Police officials said no houses had been burnt and thefire, which raged unchecked for several hours fanned by strongwinds, was finally brought under control in the evening.

    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)