Strong winds hamper firefighting efforts while authorities warn of continued wildfire risk
ATHENS: Firefighters continued battling major wildfires on the Greek island of Crete for a second consecutive day on Thursday after three firefighters lost their lives during firefighting operations, while extreme weather continued to fuel wildfires across southern Europe.
According to Greek authorities, two firefighters died after becoming trapped between advancing fire fronts near the village of Krya Vrysi in central Crete. A third firefighter was killed while responding to a separate wildfire in the Peloponnese region. Two additional firefighters sustained minor injuries.
Meanwhile, hundreds of residents and tourists were evacuated from Krya Vrysi and surrounding villages on Wednesday by land and sea as strong winds pushed the flames towards populated areas and popular tourist locations.
More than 200 firefighters, supported by dozens of fire engines and water-dropping aircraft, remained engaged in efforts to contain two major wildfires on Crete.
Weather complicates firefighting operations
Deputy Regional Governor for Civil Protection Giorgos Tsapakos said strong winds continued to hinder firefighting efforts and warned that weather conditions were expected to worsen later in the day.
He also said firefighting aircraft were initially unable to operate because of adverse wind conditions.
Officials reported damage to agricultural land, olive groves, warehouses and several homes, although authorities were continuing to assess the full extent of the destruction.
Europe faces heightened wildfire threat
The latest fires come as Europe experiences another period of intense heat, with several countries battling widespread wildfires linked to prolonged high temperatures and dry conditions.
The head of the European Union’s emergency response centre recently warned that Greece and Italy could face an elevated wildfire risk in the coming weeks.
Elsewhere, Spain and France have also experienced major wildfires that forced large-scale evacuations and damaged forests.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska warned of several difficult days ahead because of continuing high temperatures and strong winds, although officials said a major wildfire affecting parts of the Avila and Madrid regions had stabilised sufficiently to allow some evacuation and shelter-in-place orders to be lifted.
Authorities across southern Europe remain on high alert as extreme weather conditions continue to increase the risk of new wildfire outbreaks.
