ATHENS, Greece — The flame-lighting ceremony for the torch going to the Beijing Games will be held in Ancient Olympia, an area ravaged by wildfires last year.

"We have secured all the conditions for an immaculate and simple ceremony, as history, tradition and the site dictate," Greek Olympic Committee president Minos Kyriakou said today.

The flame will be lit March 24 beside the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera by an actress dressed as an ancient Greek priestess. It will then start its 85,000-mile journey to Beijing.

The first torchbearer in the relay will be Alexandros Nikolaidis, a silver medalist in taekwondo at the 2004 Athens Games. He will hand the flame to Luo Xuejuan, who won China's only swimming gold medal in Athens.

Forests around the birthplace of the ancient Olympics were devastated last year by wildfires that killed 66 people and ravaged southern Greece. The flames were stopped on the fringe of the ancient site.