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Greek wildfires claim two more lives; emergency declared

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A man runs as a tree burns behind him in the Greek city of Megalopolis, about 229 kilometers (143 miles) southwest of Athens, on Friday, August 25, 2000. Several major fires, fed by gale-force winds, roared through parched woodlands and threatened villages across the country, from northern Greece, where seven people were burned to death, to the southern Arcadia province, where a state of emergency was declared. (AP Photo/Eurokinissi) * GREECE OUT *

August 26, 2000 

ATHENS (AP) - Raging wildfires killed two more people Friday as officials declared a state of emergency in one region and civilian volunteers joined exhausted firefighting teams around the country.

Several major fires, fed by gale-force winds, roared through parched woodlands and threatened villages across Greece from the Albanian border to the southern Arcadia province, where a state of emergency was declared. Temperatures were expected to hover around 37 degrees Celsius (99 F).

On Friday, the charred remains of two elderly women were found in the villages of Rizo and Kato Lithari, both close to the northern village of Aghia Marina, where an elderly couple was burned to death Thursday.

The blaze, originated in Albania, had a front about 40 kilometers (25 miles) long, officials said.

In Arcadia, more than 500 firefighters, 100 fire trucks, eight airplanes and two helicopters battled a huge blaze near the town of Megalopolis, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Athens.

Dozens of smaller wildfires burned throughout Greece, authorities said.

Greece has asked for foreign assistance, but nearby countries were struggling with their own brush fires, authorities said.