Firefighters put out forest blaze in Greece

Athens - Scores of firefighters backed by tanker planes battled a fire which broke out yesterday in pine forests on the Parnis…

Athens - Scores of firefighters backed by tanker planes battled a fire which broke out yesterday in pine forests on the Parnis mountains northwest of Athens, officials said. Flames were moving towards a village, Hassia, on the southern flank of the mountains located some 45 kms from the capital, but did not threaten any inhabited areas, the fire department said.

Some 100 firefighters, 30 trucks, six Canadair tanker aircraft and two Chinook helicopters were involved in fighting the blaze, the latest of 119 fires to break out around Greece since early Wednesday, it said.