Greece: Hundreds evacuated as fire nears mountain suburbs

By THANASSIS STAVRAKIS and DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press

DRAFI, Greece (AP) — Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes as a wildfire threatened mountainside suburbs northeast of Athens. Firefighters battled through the night, struggling to contain the blaze which was being intensified by strong gusts of wind.  The Fire Service said 15 planes and nine helicopters were involved in the firefighting effort on the slopes of Mount Penteli, 25 kilometers (16 miles) northeast of Athens before being grounded at nightfall.  Police officers and firefighters carried elderly residents out of their homes to safety as the flames approached.  Huge clouds of smoke from the blaze was visible in central Athens.