ATHENS – Greece said Friday it would send 30 firefighters to southern California to help battle wildfires there that have killed at least nine people and forced more than 500,000 more from their homes. "Our country will send 30 specialised firefighters," spokesman Evangelos Antonaros told reporters at the government's daily news briefing.
The offer of assistance comes two months after the US sent teams of firemen to Greece to help battle the 12-day inferno in August.
Those fires killed at least 67 people, destroyed scores of homes and burnt up more than 200,000 hectares (500,000 acres) of forest and farmland.
Earlier this month, US Forest Service and US Agency for International Development (USAID) experts began working with Greek forestry services on recovery and flood prevention efforts in the Peloponnese peninsula south of Athens, the area worst hit by the inferno.
USAID has already offered 700,000 dollars (493,000 euros) in emergency funds and materials to the Hellenic Red Cross and 1.2 million dollars in protective gear for firefighters and technical assistance, the US embassy in Athens said.