Video

In the Peloponnese, a popular tourist destination for its stunning scenery, plumes of black smoke poured from burning pine forests and olive groves on Monday (August 27), turning the sun a dark red and sometimes blotting it out. In Krestena, firefighters struggled to stop yet another Greek village from being consumed by flames. As helicopters dropped water onto the burning forests around the village, a massive effort was being made on the ground to form firebreaks by clearing strips around the village with tractors and felling trees. Scores of villages have now burned and firefighters seem helpless to stop the devastation even with the aid of air support. People from Krestena began to leave their homes when the fire approached but locals were reporting that some people had not immediately left their houses. Foreign planes and helicopters attacked flames in the village of Grillos as another evacuation took place. The blaze was making its way from village to village and residents were desparate for help to escape. "Our kids are burning. our kids, our kids. Why did you leave them in the fire? Save them. Do something," pleaded one resident. Thousands have been made homeless as Greece's worst fires in decades continue to rage from the southern tip of the Peloponnese to the northern town of Ioannina. Police went from door to door trying to persuade people to leave Grillos. Some villagers were afraid to move on their own and waited to be rescued. The smoke became so thick that breathing and visibility were difficult. Greek ministers met in emergency session to discuss the forest fires and afterwards Public Order Minister Byron Polydoras said he was heading to the Peloponnese peninsula to improve the organisation of the firefighting effort. The government has offered rewards of up to one million euros ($1.4 million) for help in tracking down arsonists who it believes played a major role in starting the fires. Many local mayors have accused rogue land developers of setting fires to make way for new construction. Three elderly people and two boys have been charged with starting fires. The entire Peloponnesian village of Frixa was swallowed by flames, the houses destroyed. A military helicopter was brought in to fly residents out. Angry villagers said no help came before Frixa burned. Planes came late, firefighters too. Elderly villagers said their lives were over. "This is a catastrophe, I am 75 years old, I have never dealt with something like this before. This is chaos, and we don't know what is going to happen next. Our life's work has been lost, there is nothing left," said Yannis Petropoulos. Overwhelmed by the catastrophe, Greece has declared a nationwide state of emergency. Appeals for aid have brought planes from France, Spain and Italy. Firefighters from Cyprus, France and Israel have been rushed in and help from another 10 countries was due on Monday.