Ancient Olympia, Greece – Firefighters backed by aircraft dropped water and foam Sunday on the birthplace of the ancient Olympics to stop wildfires from burning the 2,800-year-old ruins, one of the most revered sites of antiquity.
But fires burning for three straight days obliterated vast swaths of the country, and the death toll rose by 11 on Sunday to 60. New fires broke out faster than others could be brought under control. Desperate residents appealed through television stations for help from a firefighting service already stretched to the limit, and many blamed authorities for leaving them defenseless.
“Fires are burning in more than half the country,” fire department spokesman Nikos Diamandis said. “This is definitely an unprecedented disaster for Greece.”
Government and firefighting officials have suggested arson caused many of the blazes, and several people had been arrested.
The government offered a reward of up to $1.36 million for anyone providing information that would lead to the arrest of an arsonist.
Forest fires are common during Greece’s hot, dry summers – but nothing has approached the scale of the last three days. Arson is often suspected, mostly to allow development on land otherwise protected by law.
The front of one fire Sunday reached Ancient Olympia in southern Greece, burning trees and shrubs just a few yards from the museum at the site. None of the ruins was damaged.
Ruined temples of Zeus, king of the ancient Greek gods, and his wife Hera stand on what was a lush riverside site near the stadium that hosted the ancient Olympic games for more than 1,000 years after they started in 776 B.C.
Helicopters and aircraft covered the ruins with water and foam. Volunteers grabbed buckets of water and joined firefighters.
“We don’t know exactly how much damage there is in the Olympia area, but the important thing is that the museum is as it was and the archaeological site will not have any problem,” Culture Minister George Voulgarakis told The Associated Press.
“It’s hell everywhere,” said Costas Ladas, a resident of Kolyri near Ancient Olympia, who said the fire covered more than a mile in three minutes.
