Greek firefighters today claimed to have gained the upper hand over countrywide forest fires that have killed at least 63 people and left the government shaken by accusations of incompetence.
A burnt forest near Minthi village in western Peloponnese, some southwest of Athens today. Pic: Reuters/Yiorgos Karahalis
Thousands of Greeks were expected to attend a protest in Athens later today to express their anger and dismay at the disaster that has left many thousands homeless.
Fires that had trapped terrified villagers in parts of the southerly Peloponnese peninsula were now coming under control, firefighters said, but warned that winds could rekindle the flames, a daily occurrence which has hampered relief efforts.
Greece's emergency services were overwhelmed by the fires that raged from the Peloponnese in the south to Athens and the northern town of Ioannina, and reinforcements and equipment were rushed in by countries from Spain to Israel.
The conservative government of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has declared the worst fires on record a national emergency and called for unity and solidarity with the victims. But opposition parties and many people devastated by the blazes have accused authorities of doing too little too late.
"The government has shown that it is completely incapable of managing this major crisis," said George Papandreou, leader of the Socialist PASOK party who hopes to unseat Mr Karamanlis in parliamentary elections on September 16th.
"The government showed a weak response, inefficiency and what amounts to a criminal disregard," he said.
In July some 10,000 people demonstrated after a smaller fire destroyed one of the few remaining forest areas near Athens, demanding it be reforested and not used for building land.
Many Greeks believe fires are often started by arsonists on behalf of property developers. The government has offered rewards of up to €1 million for help in finding arsonists.