Greece wildfires: mass evacuations as blaze rages near Ierapetra, Crete
The smoke stretched as far as Makry Gialos beach, 10km from Achlia in Lasithi where firefighters were battling the blaze. The main road near the settlement of Agia Fotia has been closed by police, who have urged residents and visitors to avoid all non-essential travel due to hazardous air quality, extreme heat, and falling ash. In the settlement of Agia Fotia, homes and rental properties have been destroyed, and the area is experiencing a power outage, according to local reports. 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.Authorities have also ordered the mass evacuation of hotels, rental rooms and homes in the Ferma municipality, as the flames approach the area. The operation is underway with the support of the fire service, police and local volunteers.So far, approximately 1,500 people have been evacuated from surrounding settlements and tourist areas and moved to Ierapetra. Around 200 evacuees are being sheltered in the town's indoor sports arena.
The firefighting response has been significantly reinforced. As of Wednesday night, 155 firefighters, eight specialised foot teams, and 38 fire engines are operating on the ground. Four helicopters carried out water drops until nightfall. Local municipalities have also deployed water tankers and heavy machinery.Additional forces are en route. Seventeen firefighters and one foot team from the 1st EMODE (Special Forest Firefighting Unit) are travelling by ferry from Piraeus, along with five fire engines, while 33 firefighters and four additional EMODE teams are due to arrive by air from Elefsina.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.Emergency alerts via the 112 public warning system were issued throughout the day, calling for evacuations from Achlia, Ferma, Agia Fotia, Galini, and later Koutsounari, instructing residents and tourists to move towards Ierapetra.Some individuals who were cut off by road were reportedly evacuated by boat from local beaches.The fire, believed to have started between Agia Fotia and the village of Skinokapsala, continues to burn through dense, highly flammable forest, with steep terrain, dry conditions and strong winds making containment extremely difficult.Earlier this week in Turkey more than 50,000 people were evacuated due to wildfires in the western province of Izmir.At least six heat-related deaths have been reported in Europe as the continent reels under an early summer heatwave. The latest recorded fatalities were in Spain and Italy. There were also casualties in France.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Crete wildfires mapped: Mass evacuations as fires burn on south coast of holiday island
At least 1,500 people have been evacuated from parts of Crete as a massive wildfire continues to blaze on the Greek island. Gale force winds fanned the flames and driven the blaze south, after the fire broke out in the hills near Ierapetra on the eastern end of the island. People from villages including Achlia, Ferma, Agia Fotia and Koutsounari and surrounding tourist resorts and hotels have been evacuated to Ierapetra's indoor sports hall for shelter. The blaze has already destroyed homes in places including Agia Fotia, while some people have been treated for smoke inhalation, according to authorities. The BBC reports at least four people have been taken to hospital with respiratory problems. The fire began in an area of dense, flammable vegetation between Agia Fotia and Skinokapsala, with steep slopes, parched ground and gusty winds making containment extremely difficult. Authorities said the fire has been difficult to contain, and 230 firefighters continue to battle the blaze with help from 10 water-dropping aircraft. "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 AP. "The tourists who were moved out are all okay. They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island.' Large parts of Greece remain under an orange alert for fire danger as the summer wildfire season continues. Last week emergency services conducted evacuations near Athens after a wildfire broke out near the capital. Athens and the surrounding region remains under an orange alert level, while the Cyclades Islands and the Dodecanese Islands are under a yellow alert, according to the Greek Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Mass evacuations in Crete as wildfire threatens tourists
A rapidly spreading wildfire on the Greek island of Crete has triggered widespread evacuations of tourists, hotels and homes. The blaze, which sparked in the mountains between the villages of Ferma, Achila and Agia Fota late Tuesday, was whipped up by powerful winds and tore through Crete's coastal areas yesterday. Authorities said evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island's south coast as the inferno raged out of control overnight Wednesday into this morning. Around 230 firefighters were operating in the area overnight to try and contain the blaze. This morning, 10 water-dropping aircraft were dispatched to fly regular sorties over Crete, with reinforcements sent from Athens. Reports of the number of people evacuated vary, but the president of a hotelier's association this morning told Protothema that 5,000 people - mostly foreign tourists - were moved out of homes and hotels in what is one of Greece 's most popular holiday hotspots. Fire brigade spokesmen and civil protection officials have so far confirmed around 1,500 evacuees were forced to leave their accommodation. Others stranded on the beach were whisked away by boats and rescue vessels. Homes were reported damaged as flames swept through hillside forests, fanned by strong winds, and emergency services reported that several people were transported to hospital with respiratory issues. '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, said. Firefighters and rescue workers told Greek outlet Protothema that powerful and unpredictable winds were to blame for the blaze. 'It's constantly swirling, constantly changing direction, and unfortunately, the fire is shifting. It's tragic!' one said. The punishing wildfires come amid a heatwave that has left most of continental Europe sweltering, with at least eight people said to have died. In Spain, temperatures climbed well above 40 degrees C, triggering another fire in a farming area in Catalonia on Tuesday afternoon, which claimed the lives of two people. Greece, situated at Europe's southernmost tip, is often hit by wildfires during its hot and dry summers. But authorities have blamed a fast-changing climate for fuelling more destructive blazes in recent years. Papadakis said that the displaced tourists and residents have been offered temporary shelter while the firefighters continue to tackle the inferno. 'The tourists who were moved out are all okay. They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island,' he said. 'Winds are still very strong and the fire is intense,' the deputy governor of Lasithi, Yiannis Androulakis, told broadcaster ERT on Thursday morning. Overnight, with aerial support grounded, all our efforts were focused on saving as many homes as possible.' He added that firefighting and rescue efforts were complicated by power outages amid the fire. 'We had no electricity throughout the night,' Androulakis said. 'In most areas, we didn't even have a mobile signal.' The risk of wildfires continuing to spread in Crete and elsewhere is heightened as weather forecasters warned Greece is set for hot, dry and windy conditions through the weekend into next week. Inland temperatures will reach 38 degrees C and will settle at 30 degrees C along the coast amid strong winds. Despite the scale of the blaze, there were no immediate reports of serious injuries, though several residents and tourists are being treated for respiratory issues. The Fire Service and a civil protection agency issued localised mobile phone alerts for the evacuations. Residents have also been told not to return to their properties to try and save their homes as the fire began cresting ridgelines and edging toward residential areas overnight. The blaze sent clouds of ash into the night sky, illuminated by the headlights of emergency vehicles and water trucks that lined the coastal road near the resorts of Ferma and Achlia on the southeast of Crete. Members of specialised units - often only working with hand tools - were creating hillside fire breaks to try and slow the advance of the blaze. Other firefighters are also trying to tame a wildfire on the island of Kythira and another blaze in the northern region of Chalkidiki, which rage uncontrolled. The fire department has already been forced to tackle dozens of wildfires across Greece so far this year. In 2018, a huge inferno swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 died, including some who drowned while trying to swim away from the flames. The risk of wildfires remained very high across Crete and parts of southern Greece on Thursday, according to a daily bulletin issued by the Fire Service. It comes days after wildfires tore through a Turkish holiday destination, causing chaos for tourists as hundreds of passengers were left stranded. A huge fire ripped through the popular resort of Foça, İzmir, before strong winds fanned the flames and sent them towards neighbourhoods and residential areas. One suspect has been accused of starting the fire when they allegedly set fire to their own house, and tinder-dry conditions saw the blaze spread at pace. In the wake of the fire in Turkey, flights at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport had closed temporarily as of 4pm local time on Sunday, with hundreds of passengers left stranded as a result. Residents watched in horror as their homes went up in flames while firefighters spent more than 22 hours tackling the huge blaze across İzmir. The major emergency response involved 625 personnel, including six helicopters, 46 fire engines, nine bulldozers and 13 water supply vehicles. Around 550 residents were evacuated from some 175 homes in Ilıpınar, Foça. Several heat-related deaths have been recorded across Europe since the heatwave began. Authorities continue to investigate possible heat-related complications. A 10-year-old girl died after suffering a heart attack in northern France on Tuesday as the heat forced some 2,200 schools to shut nationwide. The American tourist, who was travelling with her family, collapsed in the courtyard of the Palace of Versailles yesterday evening. Firefighters arrived promptly on the scene as the child, understood to have been undergoing treatment for underlying health issues, suffered a heart attack. Within an hour of her collapsing, she was declared dead. An investigation is expected to be opened to determine the cause of death, local media reports. Initial reports suggest that the extreme heat may have played a role in aggravating her illness. Spain, facing temperatures in the low 40s on Wednesday, continued to grapple with wildfires in Catalonia as Barcelona recorded its hottest June in more than 100 years. Some 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) burned on Tuesday before firefighters got some help from a rainstorm and established a perimeter. Two people were killed in the blaze. Meanwhile, police in Tarragona reported the tragic death of a two-year-old on Tuesday, who they said had been left in a car in the sun for several hours. The punishing heatwave loosened its grip on western Europe somewhat on Wednesday and started to roll eastwards, with Germany expected to record some of its hottest temperatures of the year so far. Germany's national weather service (DWD) issued blanket weather warnings for heat and extreme heat covering the entire country. The agency said it expected 'maximum temperatures with exceptionally high peaks of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit)' . The unusually hot weather was causing disruptions to transport, with the national rail operator Deutsche Bahn saying it expected services to be affected in the west of the country where temperatures were rising most. Forest fires also broke out in the Harz Mountains.
The Independent
38 minutes ago
- The Independent
Is it safe to travel to Crete? What to know as wildfires rip through holiday towns
A huge wildfire has ripped through areas of Crete, forcing at least 1,500 tourists and residents to evacuate as strong winds fan the flames. The rapid fire has destroyed homes in areas such as Agia Fotia, where local reports say the power has been cut. Meanwhile, evacuees have taken shelter at an indoor sports hall in Lerapetra, with emergency alerts continuing throughout Wednesday, telling people to immediately leave their area. Some beachgoers ended up trapped and had to be evacuated by boat from isolated sandy stretches. Authorities overnight said that the fire is 'very hard to contain' as 155 firefighters, dozens of engines, forest crews, and helicopters battled the flames, with reinforcement crews arriving by sea and air from the mainland. The island is a beloved destination for tourists, many of whom would have started flocking to the Greek island as the summer season began. As more are set to fly to Crete for its sweltering temperatures and pristine beaches, here is what we know about the wildfires so far. Where are the wildfires? The fires broke out on Wednesday afternoon in the forested hills near Ierapetra, where dense, flammable vegetation was set alight and spread quickly due to gusty winds. Just before 3pm on Wednesday, Greece's emergency services warned of an active forest fire in Crete. It told those in the areas of Agia Fotia, Achlia, Galini and Ferma to move away and evacuate towards Ierapetra, following the instructions of the authorities. Just after 6pm, it also advised the same of those in Koutsounari. Authorities have shut off roads near the fire zone, telling residents and tourists to avoid non-essential travel due to the hazardous air quality, falling ash and harsh heat. The strong winds have sent the flames southward stretching more than 6km, authorities have said, while thick smoke has also fallen over the region, reaching as far as some beaches 10km from the fire area. Government advice The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) had not given any specific travel advice regarding the wildfires in Crete as of Thursday morning. In its general advice, the FCDO says that lighting fires in the country is both dangerous and illegal due to the high risk of wildfires. 'There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location,' the advice says. 'Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.' To avoid the risk of starting wildfires, the FCDO says not to leave litter behind, especially not glass, which is known to start fires, to make sure cigarettes are properly extinguished, and not to light barbecues. 'Causing a wildfire or a forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece – even if unintentional. If you see a fire, call the emergency services on 112,' it adds. It also advises travellers to follow @112Greece for official updates, adhere to the guidance of the emergency services, call the Greek emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger and contact your airline or travel operator, who can assist you with return travel to the UK. Will my flight get cancelled? There appears to be no disruption to flights due to the wildfires. Both of the island's main airports are in the north, away from the fires. Heraklion International Airport on Crete has no cancellations or disruptions to its flight schedule, data from FlightRadar shows. Chania International Airport, also on the island, has not seen any significant disruptions to its flights. Most airlines adhere to a policy whereby they should put you on the next available flight in the event of a cancellation. Compensation is unlikely when the cause of a cancellation is out of the airline's control, such as wildfires. Can I cancel my holiday? As the Foreign Office has not warned against non-essential travel to Greece, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund. The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it's best to contact them if you're looking to postpone. There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance due to safety concerns unless government advice changes. If you do have travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.
