Greek wildfires: Blaze northwest of Athens still raging

Hundreds of firefighters backed by water-dropping flames are battling a large forest fire burning for the second day northwest of Athens that has led to the evacuation of a care home and several villages

ATHENS, Greece -- Hundreds of firefighters backed by water-dropping flames were battling a large forest fire burning for the second day Tuesday that has led to the evacuation of a care home and several villages northwest of Athens. The fire in the Vilia area, which was burning through dense forest, began on Monday, shortly after another wildfire broke out to the southeast of the Greek capital, in the Keratea area. The two were the most severe among dozens of wildfires to break out that day across the country, the fire department said. Hundreds of wildfires have burned across Greece this month, fueled by the country’s longest and most severe heat wave in decades that left its forests and shrubland bone dry. Arson has been suspected as being the cause of some. On Tuesday, police announced they had arrested two people on suspicion of setting two fires, both of which were quickly extinguished.