Thousands evacuated in Crete as European wildfires continue to rage
Strong winds have fanned the flames in the Rethymno region as wildfires continue to ravage the Greek island.
Wildfires continue to rage across Europe, prompting the evacuation of thousands in Crete and claiming the lives of three Greek firefighters.
On the Greek island of Crete, approximately 8,000 residents and tourists were evacuated overnight from villages and resorts in Rethymno as strong winds, reaching speeds of 125 km per hour, fanned the flames. This comes after two firefighters, 58-year-old Emmanouil Stratidakis and 25-year-old Pantelis Diamantakis, died on Wednesday after being trapped near Krya Vrysi. A third firefighter also perished near Gytheio, a port town in the Peloponnese. Both Stratidakis and Diamantakis are scheduled to be buried on Thursday.
Greece is one of several European nations grappling with severe fires and droughts amidst extreme high temperatures. Forecasters predict that fire-prone conditions will extend into central Europe this week, with Greece and Turkey expected to be among the most severely affected.
The blaze currently active in Rethymno, western Crete, ignited on Wednesday and is believed to have already destroyed numerous homes and agricultural land. It is one of the largest fires on the island, with a front exceeding 15 km (9.3 miles) and burning uncontrollably. Rethymno's Deputy Regional Governor, Maria Lioni, stated that the full extent of the destruction is not yet clear, emphasizing that containing the fire remains the primary objective. Lioni characterized Wednesday as a "dark day" for the region, noting that overnight gusts reached up to 11 on the Beaufort scale, categorized as "violent" wind force.
Despite firefighting efforts, strong winds are hindering containment operations, with local media reporting that firefighting aircraft were grounded on Thursday morning. Some evacuees in Rethymno have been moved to a temporary shelter in a neighboring municipality, and provisions have also been made for tourists, according to Lioni. July is a peak tourist month for Crete, attracting millions of visitors annually.
The country's fire service has deployed approximately 224 firefighters, 53 engines, 11 specialized units, and two aircraft to the region.
Elsewhere in Europe, around 600 people have been evacuated in Spain near the Portuguese border due to a fire in the Spanish city of Zamora. In Portugal, five individuals were injured in a fire in the eastern town of Valpaços. However, fires near the Spanish capital of Madrid have ceased spreading, allowing thousands of residents to return home. Further west, a fire in Ávila province, which has consumed over 43,000 hectares (108,000 acres) in the past week, is now considered the largest recorded wildfire in Spanish history. In Turkey, while hundreds of homes have been evacuated, authorities report that most fires in the region are now under control.
In France's Gironde region, a wildfire that ravaged approximately 42,000 hectares (103,784 acres), the largest in France since 1949, has not spread for the third consecutive day, with cooler weather and some rain anticipated on Thursday, despite temperatures reaching up to 41C (106F) in recent days. In the southeast of France, several regions have been placed under orange heatwave alerts, effective from Thursday at 12:00 local time (11:00 BST).
Climate change is driving up global temperatures, with Europe warming twice as fast as the global average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. This trend is leading to more frequent summer heatwaves, increased pressure on Europe's water supply, and more intense wildfires.