According to Greece’s fire department, 230 firefighters supported by 10 water-dropping aircraft battled the blaze, which already destroyed significant areas of forest and farmland. Officials confirmed that two people were evacuated by boat, while six private vessels were placed on standby in case sea evacuations were necessary.
Crete is a major tourist hub and is currently at heightened risk of wildfires, with Greece’s fire department issuing warnings for very high fire danger across the island and southern mainland regions. Wildfires are a recurring threat during the country’s scorching, dry summers, and authorities have already battled dozens of fires across Greece this year.
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The wildfire, driven by strong winds, damaged multiple homes as it swept through hillside woodlands and edged dangerously close to populated areas. “It’s a very difficult situation. The fire is very hard to contain. Right now, they cannot contain it,” The Associated Press quoted Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official as saying.
“The tourists who were moved out are all okay. They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island,” he added. Emergency alerts were issued via mobile phone by the Fire Service and the civil protection agency, urging residents in affected areas to evacuate immediately and not return in attempts to protect their property.
While several residents were treated for breathing difficulties, authorities reported no serious injuries as of Thursday morning.
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The growing threat of wildfires has remained a grim reminder of past tragedies. In 2018, a devastating blaze in the coastal town of Mati, near Athens, claimed over 100 lives, many of whom died trapped in vehicles or drowned while attempting to escape by sea.
(With inputs from agencies)
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
