Hot, dry winds hamper firefighting efforts

A Chinook helicopter makes a water drop during a wildfire as a local resident holding a watering can stands among burned trees on the outskirts of Athens on Thursday. Strong winds and tinder-dry conditions hampered the job of firefighters who were dispatched to several blazes across the country. One of the biggest fires on Thursday was in Kaisariani, east of Athens. Dozens of firefighters were sent to the scene and, with the help of two water-dropping helicopters, managed to keep the blaze away from residential areas. [Reuters/Alkis Konstantinidis]