Three firefighters have died as wildfires continue to burn across Greece, with Crete facing a second day of intense blazes driven by strong winds. The fires come as Europe battles destructive wildfires fuelled by extreme heat and drought.
Two firefighters died after becoming trapped while driving between fire fronts near the village of Krya Vrysi in central Crete. A third firefighter was killed in a separate wildfire in the Peloponnese region, according to a fire department spokesperson.
Residents and tourists were evacuated from Krya Vrysi and nearby villages as strong winds pushed the flames towards popular holiday destinations.
"The wind is unbelievable - you can't stand sometimes. The flames were huge, it was really scary," resident Chrissa Gioukaki told Reuters.
The fire also spread towards the coastal town of Agia Galini, where tourists were evacuated by bus and car, hotel owner Charalampos Sevvas said.
More than 200 firefighters, supported by dozens of fire engines and water-dropping aircraft, continued efforts to contain two major wildfires on Crete on Thursday.
The fires have destroyed olive groves and other agricultural land, while several warehouses and homes have been damaged.
"Unfortunately there is no improvement, and the latest information indicates that winds will increase later in the day," Giorgos Tsapakos, Crete's deputy regional governor for civil protection, told SKAI TV.
Europe faces growing wildfire risk
The head of the European Union's emergency response centre warned on Wednesday that Greece and Italy are likely to face an elevated wildfire threat in the coming weeks.
Spain and France have also experienced major wildfires in recent days, forcing evacuations and destroying large areas of forest.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska warned of "three tough days" ahead because of high temperatures and strong winds, although authorities have begun lifting some evacuation orders as conditions improve.
Scientists say Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, is experiencing more frequent and severe heatwaves, with climate change creating hotter, drier conditions that allow wildfires to spread more rapidly.
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