Firefighters worked throughout the night on Thursday to combat a quickly spreading forest fire on Crete, Greece’s largest island. The blaze prompted the evacuation of local inhabitants and tourists from the southern part of the island. While several people were treated for difficulty in breathing, fortunately, no severe injuries have been reported.
Evacuations were enforced in the popular resort of Achlia, along with three other communities in the region. The Fire Service and civil protection units sent out mobile phone alerts advising residents against returning to their homes, with at least 1,500 individuals evacuated to temporary shelters.
The wildfire, which sparked on Wednesday, was intensified by strong winds affecting hillside forests. Although aerial firefighting operations were halted overnight, more than 150 firefighters were on the ground attempting to control the blaze. Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official, described the situation as challenging, stressing the difficulty in containing the fire.
Greece frequently experiences wildfires during its hot and dry summers. This latest incident coincides with a significant heat wave sweeping across Europe.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/crete-wildfire-on-greek-island-prompts-evacuations/a-73135182?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
