Dozens of wildfires were reported in Greece on Saturday, with the most serious one still blazing in the early afternoon northeast of the greater Athens area, between Lake Marathon and some semi-rural communities.

Fire brigade spokesman Yiannis Kalpakis said that more than 60 fires have broken out across the country in the past 24 hours.

The sudden eruption of simultaneous wildfires amid almost gale force winds in the country mobilized Greece's state apparatus, including the armed forces.

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis arrived at the fire brigade's operational headquarters early Saturday afternoon to oversee emergency fire-fighting efforts.

"Our first priority is protection of human life, as well as citizens' property," Karamanlis said in brief statements at the fire brigade command center. "What I would also like to stress is the self-sacrifice of all those battling, under extreme conditions, to extinguish the fires."

The most serious wildfire was burning in Marathon municipality, northeast of Athens, after erupting the previous evening. Swirling winds of up to 7 on the Beaufort scale on Saturday morning caused the flames to switch direction and head towards a cluster of country residences in the region.

A massive force comprised of 53 fire engines, 24 municipal water trucks, 19 fire-fighting aircraft and up to 300 fire brigade and volunteer fire-fighters were at the scene battling the blaze, in Marathon area .

Greek government declared a state emergency Saturday for the region of Attica and urged the residents to remain calm and follow the instructions from the fire brigade. Meteorologists warned that continuing winds made it likely more fires would break out over the weekend.

Greece has the most typical Mediterranean style of weather which is very dry and hot in the summer time. Bush fires occur often during this season. Big fires in August 2007 killed more than 60 people and resulted in serious environmental damages.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2009)