Inferno in Greece under control, but humanitarian and ecological disaster remains

Over 2000 firefighters, soldiers, and volunteers began battling the inferno in Greece again Monday morning, using water-dropping aircraft and helicopters from France, Italy and Cyprus. The monster blaze near Athens prompted the evacuation of almost 20,000 people, according to CNN.

About 60 square miles of pine forest, brush and olive groves were burned along the areas closest to Athens. It caused the worst humanitarian and ecological disaster in that country since 2007, when wildfires killed 65 people and took a full 10 days to get under control.

The skies have been darkened for days by soot, flying embers, and massive rolling clouds of gray smoke, belching and heaving into the atmosphere, like the breath of the devil himself.

However, by mid day Monday: “the situation has improved” said Yannis Kapakis, spokesman for the fire service, “there is no more significant active fronts in the Athens region.”

Barnaby Phillips, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Athens, said that there was "a sense of relief" in the city.

Soldiers and firefighters, weary and exhausted from days of battling the inferno, say they have managed to contain most of the wildfires which had been roaring toward the city of Athens and threatening to engulf ancient Greek landmarks.

The embattled fire crews managed to save the Pantokrator Monastery, which was founded in the mid-14th century, from being burned down after the nuns occupying it were told to evacuate--but refused.

The Marathon plain, named from the long distance race by Greek ancestors to celebrate a victory over invading Persians, in 490 B.C.--was also spared.

Day camps and two children’s hospitals were successfully evacuated, but the sites remained standing and appear to be out of danger.

"There is a sense that the very worst may have passed,” said Phillips, “and that this enormous effort is beginning to reap results."

However, weather reports were indicating a potential of heavy winds returning over the next 24 hour period, so fire crews will be remaining vigilant.

As the danger from wildfires subsides, the finger-pointing of blame has started.

Spyros Zagaris, the mayor of Marathon, was among several local leaders who have accused the government of having no plan to fight the fire.

Many people were upset, because they were left alone to use water hoses and any other means possible to try and save their homes. There simply were not enough fire crews to be every where, and it seemed there were no lessons learned from the last tragic fire in 2007. Except this time, there were no fatalities.

“It is not the time for criticism,” said the finance minister, Yiannis Papathanassiou, "We are fighting a difficult fight."

Now begins the long and painful job to rebuild and recover from the nightmare that brought hell to the edge of Athens, Greece.

Humanitarian aid and efforts have already begun.

After August 25 the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) offered $700,000 in emergency funds and commodities to the Hellenic Red Cross and $1.2 million in protective gear for firefighters and technical assistance to the government.

"Wherever there are friends and allies that suffer disasters such as this [in Greece] we always try to look at how we can be helpful," says Kurt Volker, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Europe at the U.S. State Department.

The global public can help by contacting:

Red Cross relief for Greece