Athens  - Greek firefighters battled Thursday to contain a large forest fire that was blazing out of control on the Greek holiday island of Rhodes.

Strong gale force winds were hampering efforts by planes and helicopters to put out the flames in the western part of the island. No villages were threatened, officials said.

Dozens of firefighters with the assistance of trucks were trying to extinguish the flames. But, without the assistance of planes, their efforts appeared stymied, reports said.

Residents on the island suffered severe damage over the summer months as forest fires burnt thousands of acres of forests. (dpa)