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00:00Flames and smoke engulf this suburb of Greece's capital.
00:04As firemen try to hose them down, it feels like they're fighting an impossible battle.
00:09The only solution is to evacuate those in the area.
00:12Thousands have had to flee as the blaze creeps closer and closer to Athens.
00:16Others have refused to leave, deciding to fight the fire themselves to save their homes.
00:22The wind would go in one direction and then in the other.
00:25The smoke was suffocating. You couldn't see, your eyes teared up.
00:29You couldn't breathe, you couldn't even see the house,
00:32standing 50 metres away from the house, you couldn't see it at all.
00:36Several people have already been taken to hospital for respiratory issues.
00:41In the town of Rapantosa, the fire has come and gone,
00:44but not without leaving a trail of destruction in its path.
00:54The extent of the emergency is overwhelming Greek authorities,
00:57prompting them to appeal for international help.
01:00It's a chaotic situation. Our military unit has been there from the start.
01:05We're trying to help the fire brigade and the volunteer teams,
01:08but we're completely surrounded by the flames.
01:11The EU says Italy, France, the Czech Republic and Romania have agreed to send assistance,
01:16France deploying 180 firefighters, 55 trucks and a helicopter,
01:22an attempt to save the Greek capital.