Wildfires rage out of control on Crete, killing two firefighters

Published Jul 31, 12:53 PM UTC

Severe wildfires are raging across Crete, Greece, during peak tourist season, fueled by stormy winds reaching 108 km/h. The main fire broke out near Kria Vrisi on Wednesday, spreading along a 15-kilometer front and killing two firefighters. Over 80 tourists were evacuated from Preveli Beach. Fires are also burning on the island of Paros and in the Peloponnese region. Hurricane-force winds are hindering firefighting efforts, particularly aerial operations, despite Greece's fleet of 85 firefighting aircraft and drones. Local officials describe the situation as 'out of control,' and critics accuse the government of over-relying on aerial firefighting, which is ineffective in strong winds.

Content shown outside its original language is machine translated and condensed.