Fire near Athens threatens houses, military base

ATHENS, July 16 (Reuters) A forest fire threatened to engulf houses and a military base in the southern suburbs of Athens today, while thick smoke affected large parts of the Greek capital, the fire department said.

Fire teams were battling to stop the blaze from reaching Katehaki avenue, one of the main routes linking the southern suburbs with the capital. Long queues of cars were trapped after police closed about a kilometre of the highway.

About 40 firefighters and 20 fire engines were at the scene, aided by three helicopters and five airplanes.

''The fire is approaching the Byron cemetery,'' a fire department official said. ''There is a danger that the wind will move it towards houses and a nearby military base.'' Greece has been ravaged by forest fires this summer after a dry winter. Last week, three firemen were killed and one seriously injured when trapped in a blaze on the tourist island of Crete.

A forest fire destroyed more than half of a national park near Athens last month, causing a public uproar for the partial loss of one of the region's few remaining green patches.

Reuters KK GC1949