Firefighters make progress against fires burning through Greece

Athens, Aug 8 (EFE).- Massive wildfires raging across Greece for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday have been partially contained on almost all fronts, but the situation on the island of Euboea remained serious as officials there plead for help.

The authorities have not yet officially brought the blazes under control, although fire crews have managed to make progress in some of the worst fires declared over the past few days in the northern outskirts of the Greek capital Athens, the Peloponnese region, Elis and Phocis.

In Athens, firefighters said early on Sunday that there are only a few sporadic small outbreaks and that there is hope the fires will be brought under full control later on in the day.

Some 500 police officers are patrolling areas in efforts to prevent new outbreaks in the capital.

In Euboea, the largest Greek island after Crete, large fires continue to rage as more residents were forced to evacuate their homes.

Giannis Kotzias, mayor of the city of Istiaia in Euboea where many people have been evacuated to, told local media that they are alone and have been abandoned by the state.

Spain, Cyprus, France, Egypt, Ukraine and Romania have sent firefighting planes and helicopters to help Greece contain the flames.

The fires have come amid a historic heat wave, the worst the country has seen in four decades.

Local media reported earlier that the government has cut over a billion euros in prevention and firefighting over the past decade. EFE

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