A large wildfire has been raging in the southeast of the Greek island of Crete since Wednesday. The strong wind makes the fire difficult to fight. Hundreds of residents and tourists have been evacuated. Turkey is also struggling with large wildfires.
The fire in Crete started on Wednesday near the coastal town of Agia Fotia, in a forest area with steep slopes. The fire spread quickly: the fire front is approximately 6 kilometers long and also threatens other villages in the area.
The fire has already destroyed several homes and buildings. There are also power outages in the area, as infrastructure such as electricity cables has been damaged.
The emergency services have evacuated homes, tourist apartments and hotels around the fire. This sometimes happened in the middle of the night, as you can see in the photo below.
Approximately three thousand people have been accommodated in temporary shelters in schools, Reuters reports based on local authorities. They were called upon to leave via the Greek version of NL-Alert.
Fire Crews From Mainland Offer Reinforcements
On Wednesday, 155 firefighters were working to fight the fire. Four helicopters tried to extinguish the fire from the air, but had to stop when night fell. Extra firefighters and equipment are coming to Crete from the Greek mainland.
At least four elderly people have been hospitalized with breathing problems. Hospitals on the Greek island are extra alert to be able to treat victims quickly.
Over 50,000 People Evacuated in Turkey
Turkey is suffering from forest fires in eight provinces. Earlier this week, more than 50,000 people were evacuated in the province of Izmir. That province is on the west coast and is a popular tourist destination. The fires in Turkey have severely damaged or destroyed at least 230 homes.
In the important tourist town of Çesme, three districts have been evacuated. The highway between Izmir and Çesme has also been partially closed since Thursday morning. The emergency services are deploying six firefighting aircraft and twenty helicopters to fight the fire.
A number of other fires in the province of Izmir are now under control, says Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli. Some fires in the provinces of Manisa, Hatay and Bilecik are also under control.
Greece and Turkey often suffer from wildfires in the summer. Due to climate change, drought and heat are increasing: as a result, the fires spread more easily along the dry vegetation. Forest fires are also raging on the Greek island of Kythira and in the Chalkidiki region.
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