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184 000 hectares of land ablaze
28/08/2007 16:07 - (SA)
Brussels - Fires in Greece which have killed more than 60 people ravaged some 184 000 hectares of land late last week, according to data released on Tuesday by the European Union's fire information service.
The damage, recorded from August 24 to 26, brought the total amount of land burnt in fire-prone Greece this year to 268 834 hectares, the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) said.
The European Commission said EFFIS data also showed that weather conditions in the southern peninsula of Peloponnese, the area worst hit since the fires started on Friday, were likely to improve in coming days.
"The forecasts for the coming days show that the fire risk in Greece in general and the Peloponnese in particular will reduce," the EU's executive body said.
The Commission said that EU contributions to help combat the blazes had continued to come in, with Spain offering two more Canadair water bombers while Austria had volunteered three light aircraft.
The Czech Republic, Finland, Romania and Sweden have offered helicopters.
Cyprus, Finland and Poland are also proposing scores of firefighters.
- AFP
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