Many Athenians who ignored calls to evacuate their neighbourhoods could be seen fighting the flames outside their homes with water hoses and branches.

Others, armed with shovels and buckets, worked side by side with firefighters and soldiers throughout the night to battle the fires.

Television reports continuously showed panicked residents pleading for firefighters and aircraft that were nowhere to be seen.

Officials have not officially said what started the fire, but forest fires have become more frequent in Greece in recent summers, triggered by high temperatures and drought but also arson, often by land developers.

The fires broke out late Friday just north of Marathonas and quickly spread over Mount Penteli, fanned by the winds to an area more than 40 km wide, damaging homes and burning thousands of acres of forest and olives groves.

A state of emergency was declared in greater Athens almost immediately. Critics say the poor handling of the fires by the conservative government resembled those that struck the island of Evia and the Peloponnese in 2007, killing more than 80 people.

Six major fires were still burning early on Monday across Greece, including on the islands of Evia, Skyros and the Ionion island of Zakynthos.