US EditionThousands evacuate as wildfire burns in Crete
- On Wednesday afternoon, a large wildfire erupted near Ierapetra on Crete, prompting the evacuation of around 1,500 local residents and visitors.
- The fire started in forested rugged terrain and spread rapidly due to dry conditions and strong gale-force winds up to Beaufort eight.
- Firefighters operating with helicopters, tractors carrying water trailers, and reinforcements from Athens worked to protect homes, tourist sites, and infrastructure amid thick smoke and road closures.
- Authorities relocated around 3,000 evacuees to temporary shelters, including 200 in Ierapetra's indoor sports arena, while at least four elderly were hospitalized with smoke-related respiratory problems.
- This wildfire and similar events in Greece reflect increasing wildfire frequency linked to climate change during an early summer European heatwave causing at least six heat-related deaths across Spain, Italy, and France.
239 Articles
239 Articles
Winds of more than 85 km/h and high temperatures complicate the extinction tasks in Smyrna; while 5000 tourists were forced to leave the island of Crete by forest fire out of control
New wildfire near Athens, Crete blaze 'retreating': firefighters
A wildfire on the island of Crete that forced the evacuation of 5,000 tourists and locals is "retreating," Greek firefighters told AFP on Friday, but a new blaze fanned by strong winds is spreading east of the capital, Athens.
Over the past 10 days, Turkey has been facing a series of fire departures in several parts of the country. On Monday, 50,000 people were evacuated, including to Izmir and Hatay, in the south-east. Every summer, Turkey is faced with fires, favored by drought, but this year, the situation is particularly alarming. In Izmir, two people have died. According to the authorities, some homes are under control, but new fires continue to burst. Several fi…
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