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Sky News
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Sky News
Greece: Wildfire tears through southern Crete - forcing more than 1,500 to flee homes and hotels
A fierce wildfire driven by gale-force winds has torn through southern Crete, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,500 people from homes and hotels. The blaze, which ignited near the village of Achlia, in the Ierapetra area of the Greek island's southern coast, swept across forests and farmland overnight into Thursday. Crews battled the flames with 230 firefighters and 10 aircraft dropping water from above. Some residents were evacuated by boat, and the coast guard kept six vessels on standby for further sea rescues. Several homes were damaged as flames surged through hillside forests, fuelled by strong winds. "It's a very difficult situation," said Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official. "The fire is hard to contain. Right now, they cannot stop it." Evacuated tourists were taken to a nearby basketball arena and hotels in safer parts of the island, while mobile phone alerts were issued, urging residents to leave immediately and not return to defend their homes. As the fire approached residential areas, clouds of ash filled the sky and emergency vehicles lined roads near the resorts of Ferma and Achlia. Several people were treated for breathing problems, but no serious injuries have been reported. Wildfires are common during Greece's hot, dry summers - and the fire risk remains high across Crete and southern Greece, according to the fire service. The disaster recalls the deadly 2018 wildfire in Mati, near Athens, where more than 100 people were killed - many trapped in homes or forced into the sea to escape the flames.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Greek spot popular with Edinburgh tourists sees mass evacuations after wildfire
A ferocious wildfire on a Greek island popular with capital tourists sees firefighters race to get the blaze under control. The inferno began on Wednesday July 2 at a forested area close to the municipality of Lerapetra but gale-force winds reaching up to eight on the Beaufort scale, led to the fire spreading quickly to the south which threatened several local homes and tourist accommodation. The Mirror reports that around 3,000 residents have been evacuated from various areas, including Achlia, Agia Fotia, Galini, Ferma, and Koutsounariand and put up in temporary shelters. READ MORE: Edinburgh street closed 'suddenly' will stay shut to traffic until summer 2028 READ MORE: Moment wild Edinburgh girl gang members ransack cafe at Princes Street attraction The fire front now extends over at least 6km, according to emergency services, making containment increasingly difficult. The evacuees have been relocated to temporary shelters on the holiday island, including an indoor basketball arena in Lerapetra and various hotels across other parts of the island. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Over 2,700 personnel from multiple agencies have been dispatched to the region to tackle the blaze, backed by eight firefighting planes, 12 helicopters, and a fleet of fire trucks and specialised equipment. At least four elderly people have been rushed 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. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox '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.'
Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Telegraph
Thousands evacuate as wildfire burns in Crete
A rapidly spreading wildfire on the Greek island of Crete has forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate as flames threaten homes and hotels. Firefighters, backed by water-dropping planes and helicopters, are battling the blaze, which began in the southeastern part of the island on Wednesday afternoon. Gale-force winds have fanned the flames, making firefighting efforts more difficult. At least 155 firefighters, along with 38 water trucks and support teams, have been deployed to the municipality of Ierapetra, where the fire has already caused damage to homes and hotels. So far, more than 1,500 people have been evacuated from the area, with some evacuees taking refuge in temporary shelters. The fire now stretches over six kilometres, according to emergency services. '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.' Evacuations were ordered for several villages, including Achlia and surrounding settlements, as the blaze advanced toward coastal resorts. Local authorities issued mobile phone alerts, advising residents to leave immediately and not attempt to save their properties. Emergency alerts sent throughout the day called for evacuations from Achlia, Ferma, Agia Fotia, Galini and Koutsounari, urging people to move towards Ierapetra. Authorities said there have been no serious injuries, however some locals have been treated for breathing difficulties. The fire is the latest in a series of wildfires this summer that have plagued Greece's popular tourist destinations. Last month, wildfires broke out on the Greek holiday island of Chios, causing thousands to evacuate. The Fire Service issued a daily bulletin on Thursday, warning that the wildfire risk remains exceptionally high across Crete and parts of southern Greece, as firefighters continue to battle multiple active fronts.
