A fast-moving wildfire driven by gale-force winds continued to burn overnight and into Thursday on Greece’s southern island of Crete, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,500 people from hotels and homes.
The fire department said 230 firefighters, supported by 10 water-dropping aircraft, were battling the flames in the Ierapetra area on the island’s southern coast. Two people were evacuated by boat overnight, and six private boats remained on standby for further sea evacuations, the coast guard said.
Homes have been damaged as the fire swept through hillside forests, fueled by strong winds.
“It’s a very difficult situation. The fire is very hard to contain. Right now, they cannot contain it,” Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official at the regional authority, said.
Tourists evacuated from hotels have been relocated to an indoor basketball arena and other hotels on the island, he added.
The Fire Service and civil protection agencies issued mobile phone alerts warning residents to evacuate and urged them not to return to their homes to protect property.
The fire crested ridgelines and approached residential areas, sending ash clouds into the night sky. Emergency vehicles and water trucks lined the coastal road near the resorts of Ferma and Achlia on Crete’s southeast coast.
Several residents were treated for breathing difficulties, but there were no reports of serious injuries.
Crete is a popular destination for both foreign and domestic tourists. The fire risk remains high across Crete and parts of southern Greece, according to a daily Fire Service bulletin.
Wildfires are common during Greece’s hot, dry summers, and firefighters have already battled dozens of blazes across the country this year.