ATHENS (Reuters) - A wildfire swept through forests near Athens on Thursday, forcing residents to use garden hoses and tree branches to keep the flames away from their homes.
The blaze, fanned by strong winds, charred the roofs of five houses in one of the Greek capital's suburbs and forced people to evacuate their homes, said fire service officials, though there were no reports of injuries.
"It's burning very close to residential areas and the winds are strong," said a fire brigade official. "We are doing everything to contain it."