Greeks Fight Raging Fires

ATHENS, Greece, Aug. 27, 2007 — -- All across Greece it is ordinary citizens who are fighting this country's worst ever summer of fires.

The fires are moving with devastating speed across a land burnt dry by record temperatures. Flames fanned by driving winds make these fires so deadly. Whole villages can be surrounded within minutes.

In a village called Flixa people called the radio and TV stations to call for help. The village was surrounded and the people were sheltering in the village square. Helicopters have been scrambled to lift them to safety.

Sunday I visited the island of Evia, north of Athens. A new fire started and within minutes a hillside was ablaze, great plumes of thick acrid smoke billowing into the sky. A sunny day suddenly became dark.

We drove on to the village of Mistros which lay in the path of the latest inferno. In the village we met anxious residents. The men had gone to fight the fire. The women remained, huddled nervously in small groups waiting for news.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. Bad news from the fire, a sudden change of wind, and rumors of tragedy. Several men had been killed.

Panic and grief broke out. Women began to scream. No one knew who had been lost. We were asked to leave.

We met Maria Massuri outside her cottage. She broke down in tears. Her son had volunteered to fight the fire and she had not seen him since. She could not get through on his mobile phone, fearing the worst.

Across Greece there are similar stories of heroism and tragedy, of people left alone to fight the fires...and some paying with their lives.