Greece struggles with wildfires, France sends firefighting planes

Athens (AFP) - Greece appealed for EU assistance Friday to battle wildfires raging on the outskirts of Athens and in the southern Peloponnese region that forced the evacuation of several villages.

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Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said he had requested help to fight the fires and announced army and airforce units were being deployed to douse the flames. "All firefighting forces, in addition to the army and the airforce, are on alert," Tsipras told reporters, blaming the outbreak on "emergency weather conditions". More...