On Thursday, Greek firefighters continued their battle against deadly wildfires ravaging Crete, as fierce winds hampered containment efforts.
Two crew members lost their lives tackling the blazes on Crete, and a third firefighter succumbed while fighting a separate fire on the Greek mainland.
Thousands evacuated as fires spread
Advancing flames across southwestern Crete compelled the evacuation of several villages in the Rethymno district, with fire edging toward the resort town of Agia Galini on the southern coast, prompting tourists to flee.
According to Deputy Governor Maria Lioni, approximately 8,000 residents and visitors have been evacuated.
The inferno has consumed vast tracts of farmland, including olive groves, and numerous homes.
Has Europe lost control of its wildfires?
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Why is it so difficult to stop the fires?
Firefighters have struggled to gain control due to powerful, shifting winds that have peaked at 102 km/h (63 mph).
Consequently, emergency officials reported that water‑dropping aircraft were either severely restricted or grounded entirely.
Giorgos Tsapakos, the deputy regional governor for civil protection on Crete, told Greek television that “unfortunately, there is no improvement, and the latest information indicates that winds will increase later today.”
Two firefighters perished on Crete after becoming trapped on a mountain road, overcome by smoke that disoriented them. A third firefighter collapsed and died while on duty near Gytheio, at the southern tip of the Peloponnese.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis honored the fallen firefighters on Wednesday, noting that they confront a “new harsh reality” each year as wildfires intensify.
Greece, along with other southern European nations, faces an escalating wildfire threat as climate change intensifies droughts, raises temperatures, and fuels extreme winds—conditions that favor fire ignition and spread.
How are the fires in France and Spain developing?
In France and Spain, firefighting operations on Thursday showed signs of improvement.
In France, officials allowed 84,000 evacuees to return home after a wildfire near Bordeaux was eased by cooler temperatures and rain; the blaze had previously displaced about 220,000 people.
In Spain, authorities reported that wildfires endangering Madrid were subsiding, with virtually no active flames remaining.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse
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