Forest fire sweeps northern Athens, cuts power

ATHENS, Aug 16 (Reuters) A large forest fire fanned by strong winds swept across the northern Athens suburb of Nea Penteli today, threatening homes and causing power cuts in parts of the capital, officials said.

The fire that started at around 1300 hrs ist was racing down the Penteli hill, some 20 km north of the Greek capital, sending a thick dark cloud across Athens, blocking out the sun.

''This is a forest fire burning pine trees but at the moment it is very windy, hampering efforts,'' a fire brigade official said.

He said 20 vehicles, 60 fire fighters, five helicopters and six planes, as well as many volunteers, were battling the blaze in the affluent area. The fire has not yet burned any homes, but was closing in fast.

The fire triggered a series of power cuts in different parts of the capital, caused by wet electricity pylons.

Greece has seen some of the worst fires of the last decade this summer, triggered by record-high temperatures, an ongoing drought and arsonists. The Penteli area, once a lush pine forest, was twice torched by arsonists in the mid 1990s.

REUTERS SV KP1625