Greece fire threatens homes for second day

Firefighters and water-dropping aircraft fought for a second day on Thursday to contain a large wildfire in southern Greece that forced evacuations and a night-long battle to save homes. The wildfire started on Wednesday at the seaside settlement of Kechries, more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Athens, and rapidly spread inland.

Authorities evacuated another village and a children's summer camp as a precaution as 20 water-dropping planes and helicopters assisted more than 300 firefighters on the ground, struggling to contain the blaze.

Seven villages have been evacuated since the fire broke out.

Corinth is in the Peloponnese region, some 50 miles southwest of Athens.

The fire burned farmland as well as pine and olive trees and gutted or seriously damaged around 10 homes, local officials said.

Wildfires are common during Greece’s hot, arid summers.

Two years ago, a fire ravaged the seaside resort of Mati, east of Athens, leaving 102 people dead. Massive blazes in 2007 killed about 80 people in southern and central Greece.