BBC NEWS | In Pictures | In pictures: Athens suburbs fire

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Friday, 17 August 2007, 11:52 GMT 12:52 UK

In pictures: Athens suburbs fire

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The northern suburbs of the Greek capital, Athens, have been hit by devastating forest fires.

Flames sweeping down mountainside towards a church

Flames sweeping down mountainside towards a church

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Flames swept down from Penteli mountain towards residential areas below.

Man dousing flames with hose

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The flames, fanned by very high winds, raged out of control.

Smoke over Penteli mountain, Greece

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The enormous fire, which officials say may have been the work of arsonists, cast a pall of smoke over the entire area.

Boy carrying box

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Residents were forced to pack up as many belongings as they could carry and flee.

Local residents hosing flames

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Some did stay behind to try to save their homes.

Firefighter shouting to other crews

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Penteli Mayor Dimitris Stergiou joined in the effort to get hundreds of firefighters into position.

Man hosing down burned building

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However, there have been complaints that help arrived too late - with the high winds preventing water-dropping planes from arriving on scene for nearly two hours.

Man surveys burned field

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A state of emergency has now been declared in the districts of Melisia, Vrilisia and Penteli.

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