Hundreds of people have been evacuated as a large wildfire continues to burn out of control on the Greek island of Crete. The fire, which has been spread by strong winds, broke out on Wednesday afternoon in rugged forest terrain near the municipality of Ierapetra.
The flames have spread rapidly, threatening homes, tourist accommodations and critical infrastructure, including a gas station.
According to emergency services, the fire is spread over at least 6 km, making it increasingly difficult to control. A2 CNN writes that thick smoke has covered the area, reducing visibility to almost zero in some places.
Authorities have also ordered a mass evacuation of hotels, rental rooms and homes in the Ferma commune as the flames approach the area. The operation is being carried out with the support of the fire service, police and local volunteers.
So far, approximately 1,500 people have been evacuated from surrounding settlements and tourist areas and relocated to Ierapetra. Around 200 evacuees are taking shelter in the city's indoor sports arena.
Smoke from the fire has spread to Makry Gialos beach, 10km from Achlia in Lasithi, where firefighters were battling the flames.
The main road near the settlement of Agia Fotia has been closed by police, who have urged residents and visitors to avoid all non-essential travel due to hazardous air quality, extreme heat and ash fallout.
In the settlement of Agia Fotia, homes and rental properties have been destroyed, and the area is experiencing power outages, according to local reports. At least four elderly people have been taken to hospital with respiratory problems caused by smoke inhalation.
As a precautionary measure, all hospitals in Crete have been put on alert by health authorities, writes A2 CNN.
The firefighting response has been significantly reinforced. As of Wednesday night, 155 firefighters, eight specialized foot teams and 38 fire engines are operating on the ground. Four helicopters carried out water drops until dusk. Local municipalities have also deployed water tankers and heavy machinery.
Additional forces are on the way. Seventeen firefighters and a foot team from the 1st EMODE (Special Forest Firefighting Unit) are traveling by ferry from Piraeus, along with five firefighting vehicles, while 33 firefighters and four additional EMODE teams will arrive by plane from Elefsina.
According to Greek media, the fire service has ordered a tactical withdrawal from the fire front to protect personnel and prioritize the creation of firefighting zones around at-risk settlements. Teams are expected to remain on the scene throughout the night.
Emergency alerts via the 112 public warning system were issued throughout the day, calling for evacuations from Achlia, Ferma, Agia Fotia, Galini and later from Koutsounari, instructing residents and tourists to move towards Ierapetra.
Some individuals who were stranded were reportedly evacuated by boat from local beaches.
The fire, believed to have started between Agia Fotia and the village of Skinokapsala, continues to burn through dense forest, with steep terrain, dry conditions and strong winds making it extremely difficult to control.
Earlier this week in Turkey, more than 50,000 people were evacuated due to wildfires in the western province of Izmir.
At least six heat-related deaths have been reported in Europe as the continent grapples with a heatwave at the start of summer. The latest deaths were in Spain and Italy. There were also casualties in France. (A2 Televizion)
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