Firefighters battle with blaze in Ilia, Peloponnese, for second day

A total of 74 firefighters, manning 36 engines, on Monday resumed efforts to put out a fire that continued to burn in the region of Ilia in the Peloponnese for the second day.

According to the fire service, the blaze has two fronts in the areas of Frixa and Skillountia, both in ravines and therefore to difficult to access.

Two Canadair waterdropping aircraft were aiding the efforts on the ground.

Deputy Regional Governor Giorgos Georgiopoulos told the Athens-Macedonia news agency that the strong winds that had buffeted the blaze on Sunday had eased somewhat.

He added that firefighters had curbed the blaze before it could damage homes, noting that losses had so far been limited to a damaged roof in Skillountia.

The extent of the damage to farmland was unclear, he said, noting that a large number of olive trees had been burned.

The cause of the blaze remained unclear.