Wildfires in Greece: blaze out of control in Rethymno, Crete
Dozens of wildfires have broken out across Greece, with the most severe blaze occurring in southern Crete near Rethymno. The fire has resulted in two firefighter fatalities and forced evacuations in multiple tourist areas and villages.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the increasing threat of extreme weather and wildfires to Mediterranean tourism and public safety, exacerbated by climate change and strong winds.
Dozens of rural and forest fires broke out in Greece within 24 hours, while gale-force winds made firefighting operations difficult in many parts of the country.From 6 pm on Tuesday to 6 pm on Wednesday, the Greek Fire Service recorded 37 rural and forest fires. Thirty were tackled immediately, while operations were still under way in seven cases. The most serious fronts were in southern Crete and in Plomari on Lesbos, in the northern Aegean.The largest and most challenging fire was still burning on Thursday morning in southern Rethymno, where two firefighters lost their lives during the operation.The blaze triggered evacuations in villages and tourist areas and damaged homes, crops and livestock facilities, while strong winds significantly limited aerial assets' ability to intervene.Fire in southern Rethymno out of controlThe fire broke out at around 14:30 on Wednesday in low vegetation near Krya Vrysi, in the municipality of Agios Vasileios, on…
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