By George Hatzidakis and Tatiana Fragou
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek villagers fled their homes ashundreds of firefighters battled forest blazes that raged nearthe Greek capital Athens on Wednesday, reviving memories oflast summer's deadly wildfires.
As emergency services used planes and helicopters to bringtwo large fires near Athens under control, strong winds fanneda new blaze near the village of Markopoulo, some 40 km (25miles) from the city of 5 million people.
Municipal authorities evacuated around 50 villagers asflames entered the village, while many others left behind theirhomes and possessions to flee.
"Things are getting worse at Markopoulo and we have reportsof one or two houses being damaged," a fire department officialtold Reuters.
Record temperatures last year sparked a 10-day infernoacross southern Greece which killed 65 people and triggered astate of emergency in the Mediterranean country.
Environmental groups have accused Greece's conservativegovernment of failing to take sufficient steps to avoid anotherdisaster this year. The New Democracy party government insistsit is well prepared.
Near the industrial town of Aspropyrgos, 20 kilometres (12miles) west of Athens, some 30 fire engines and two helicoptersbrought under control a fire which had threatened to cut offone of the main road arteries into Athens earlier on Wednesday.
At least four warehouses were damaged but no injuries werereported.
Fire officials blamed the blaze on local Roma who regularlyburn off plastic-coated cabling and tyres from rubbish tips andcollect the remaining wire and metals to sell for scrap.
Another fire, which began on Tuesday and had threatened amunitions factory outside Inoi in the Parnitha mountains nearAthens, was also under control, fire officials said.
More than 100 separate fires were burning across thecountry, with firefighters battling blazes in central andnorthern Greece and the island of Andros, officials said.
(Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Jon Boyle)
