Cliff Notes – Wildfire tears through southern Crete
- A raging wildfire tears through southern Crete forcing more than 1,500 to flee homes and hotels
- The rapidly spreading flames are fuelled by strong winds adn fertile land as soon as it enters residential areas causing explosions.
- Emergency services, including 230 firefighters and multiple aircraft, are actively combating the blaze, with some evacuees rescued by boat as damage to homes has been reported.
- The fire, which threatens residential areas, highlights ongoing wildfire risks in Greece, reminiscent of the deadly 2018 Mati disaster.
Greece wildfires latest: Wildfire tears through southern Crete – forcing more than 1,500 to flee homes and hotels | EUROPE News
A fierce wildfire driven by gale-force winds has torn through southern Crete, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,500 people from homes and hotels.
The blaze, which ignited near the village of Achlia, in the Ierapetra area of the Greek island’s southern coast, swept across forests and farmland overnight into Thursday.
230 firefighters and 10 aircraft
Crews battled the flames with 230 firefighters and 10 aircraft dropping water from above.
Some residents were evacuated by boat, and the coast guard kept six vessels on standby for further sea rescues.
Raging fire fuelled by strong winds
Several homes were damaged as flames surged through hillside forests, fuelled by strong winds.
“It’s a very difficult situation,” said Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official.
“The fire is hard to contain. Right now, they cannot stop it.”
Tourists were taken to a nearby basketball arena
Evacuated tourists were taken to a nearby basketball arena and hotels in safer parts of the island, while mobile phone alerts were issued, urging residents to leave immediately and not return to defend their homes.
Clouds of ash filled the sky
As the fire approached residential areas, clouds of ash filled the sky and emergency vehicles lined roads near the resorts of Ferma and Achlia.
Several people were treated for breathing problems, but no serious injuries have been reported.
Wildfires are reality in Greece
Wildfires are common during Greece’s hot, dry summers – and the fire risk remains high across Crete and southern Greece, according to the fire service.
The disaster recalls the deadly 2018 wildfire in Mati, near Athens, where more than 100 people were killed – many trapped in homes or forced into the sea to escape the flames.