Greek fires threaten Olympia
Three people have been arrested on the suspicion of deliberately setting off forest fires
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Sunday, 26, Aug 2007 09:47
Officials fear that the fires raging in Greece may threaten the world heritage site of Olympia, the home of the Olympic flame.
Media reports suggest government ministers are heading to Olympia to help coordinate the effort to protect the area.
A number of new fires have begun and previously unaffected areas are being hit by fires bursting out.
Greek prime minister Kostas Karamanlis has declared a countrywide state of emergency as forest fires continue to spread across the country.
The forest fires, which started late on Thursday night, have claimed 47 lives so far and resulted in hundreds of villages across the Mediterranean country being evacuated.
Speaking in a televised address to the country, the prime minister said: "All regions of the country are declared in a state of emergency in order to mobilize all means and forces to face this disaster."
He also cast doubt over how so many fires had broken out in different parts of the country saying it was "not a coincidence". Over seventy new fires were reported yesterday leading to elections being postponed.
Yesterday, fire department spokesman Nikos Diamandis suspected arsonists to be behind some of the fires.
In an announcement today, he added that a 65-year-old man has been charged with murder and arson over starting a blaze that claimed six lives in Areopolis. Two others have been arrested in the northern city of Kavala on the charge of arson.
A total of 9,000 firefighters and 500 soldiers are trying to contain the fire. Over 1,800 fire engines, planes and helicopters have also been deployed to the affected areas.
Prime minister Kostas Karamanlis has called the fire an "unspeakable tragedy" and appealed to the European Union for assistance.
Greece has been battling forest fires since June when a heatwave across Europe resulted in blazes being reported in Macedonia, Romania and the Canary Islands.