Mass evacuations in Crete as fire rips through holiday island
The fire started in rugged forested terrain near the municipality of Ierapetra but following gale-force winds reaching up to eight on the Beaufort scale, the flames have now spread rapidly southward, threatening homes, tourist accommodation, and critical infrastructure.
Around 3,000 residents have been evacuated and put up in temporary shelters. The fire front now extends over at least 6km, according to emergency services, making containment increasingly difficult.
Follow our live blog below for the latest updates.
Greece has launched a huge emergency response after wildfires tore through the popular British holiday hotspot of Greece overnight.
Over 2,700 personnel from multiple agencies have been dispatched to the region, backed by eight firefighting planes, 12 helicopters, and a fleet of fire trucks and specialized equipment.
A number of X users have shared images of their phone screens showing the emergency alerts sent to their mobile phones yesterday.
Huge clouds of smoke rising above the southern part of Crete, filmed from Agios Nikolaus on the north coast, presumably from wildfires. We received an emergency alert on phones earlier today warning of wildfires near Agia Fotia. #wildfires #greece #crete pic.twitter.com/SEtexCICGB
Authorities have issued evacuation orders for multiple settlements, including Achlia, Agia Fotia, Galini, Ferma, and Koutsounari. In these affected areas, emergency responders have worked tirelessly to move residents and visitors to safety.
The evacuees have been relocated to temporary shelters, including an indoor basketball arena in Ierapetra and various hotels across other parts of the island.
Heraklion, on the island of Crete, is expected to reach highs of 29C today according to the Met Office weather forecast. It predicts highs of 37C on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
'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, told the Associated Press.
'The tourists who were moved out are all ok. They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island.'
Tourists were seen fleeing villas and holiday homes in eastern Crete. Videos from the Greek island show the mayhem as holidaymakers attempt to get onto transport away from the raging fire.
Families with their suitcases can be seen getting into cars and buses while a raging fire lights up a hill in the background, which a local weather station described as "raging out of control" as the wildfire spread up to the shoreline near Ierapetra.
BREAKING: A massive evacuation is underway in Ferma, Ierapetra, on the Greek island of Crete, as an out-of-control wildfire nears hotels, rental rooms, and homes. Authorities have ordered the area cleared for safety.pic.twitter.com/Jg0VO78WKM
At least four elderly people have been taken to hospital with respiratory problems caused by smoke inhalation. As a precaution, all hospitals in Crete have been placed on alert by health authorities, BBC reports.
As of Wednesday night, 155 firefighters, eight specialised foot teams, and 38 fire engines are operating on the ground. Four helicopters also carried out water drops until nightfall. Local municipalities have also deployed water tankers and heavy machinery.
According to public broadcaster ERT, the fire service has ordered a tactical withdrawal from the fire front to protect personnel and prioritise the creation of firebreaks around at-risk settlements.
Crews are expected to remain on the ground throughout the night.
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