ATHENS (Reuters) - One person died and two others were injured when a fire fanned by an early heatwave tore through a forested area in a town near Athens on Sunday, the fire brigade said.

TV pictures showed plumes of smoke rising above the town of Agioi Theodoroi, some 65 km (40 miles) west of Athens, as the fire burned through large areas of woodland. Rescuers recovered a body burned beyond recognition, and at least two homes were charred in the blaze.

Several dozen firefighters with 32 fire engines and six aircraft battled the flames, which had died down by early evening.

Forest fires are common during the summer months in Greece, but temperatures rose to 34 degrees Celsius over the weekend, unusually high for mid-May.