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Firefighters and residents battled a massive forest fire on Greece’s second largest island for a seventh day Monday, fighting to save what they can from flames that have decimated vast tracts of pristine forest, destroyed homes and businesses and sent thousands fleeing, The Associated Press reported. 

Greece’s foreign minister, Nikos Dendias, tweeted Monday he had spoken to his Russian counterpart and asked whether Russia could send a second Beriev Be-200 firefighting plane to Greece. So far Greece has leased one such aircraft, the largest operating in the Greek fires.

Despite the help, many residents and local officials have complained of a lack of firefighters, and some have taken to calling in to Greek television networks to appeal for help, particularly from water-dropping planes and helicopters.

Greece’s Civil Protection chief, Nikos Hardalias, has stressed that firefighters have been doing everything they can. Firefighters from the Ukraine, Romania and Serbia had been sent as reinforcements to Evia, where more than 600 firefighters were operating, along with five helicopters and five water-dropping planes, the fire department said Monday.