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Greek authorities confirm death of 51 people in forest fires -1

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At least 51 people have been killed in forest fires raging across Greece since Friday, the Greek fire department said Sunday. "We confirm the death of 51 people," the fire department said.
(Recasts, adds additional information in paras 3-11)

ATHENS, August 26 (RIA Novosti) - At least 51 people have been killed in forest fires raging across Greece since Friday, the Greek fire department said Sunday.

"We confirm the death of 51 people," the fire department said.

Earlier Greece announced that up to 40,000 hectares of forest had burned down in the country so far this summer. In the provinces of Attica in southern Greece and Boeotia in the east, more than a sixth of the woodland has been destroyed.

Forest fires are now approaching Ancient Olympia, the place where the Olympic Games originated.

The Greek fire department earlier said it had evacuated residents from villages located a few kilometers (miles) from Ancient Olympia.

The Greek authorities declared August 25 a nationwide state of emergency after the fire swept through the country.

Russia and the United States have offered their help to Greece in the efforts to extinguish forest fires, the Greek foreign minister said.

"Yesterday evening, I got in touch with U.S. and Russian representatives and received their offers for help. Now we are studying the details of these offers and the possibilities, which they have," Dora Bakoyannis said.

According to the Greek foreign ministry, nine countries have already sent firefighting aircraft to Greece.

France has sent four Canadair firefighting planes and a team of 65 firefighters. Spain and Italy have provided two similar planes each while Serbia has dispatched six special fire-extinguishing planes. Germany, the Netherlands and Israel have allocated three firefighting helicopters each and Norway and Slovenia are sending one helicopter each.

In addition, Cyprus is sending five fire engines and 30 firefighters to Greece.

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