Greece has emerged as the latest nation grappling with devastating wildfires, with thousands forced to flee popular holiday destinations.
Approximately 8,000 residents were evacuated during the night in Rethymno, a city on the coast of the Greek island of Crete, where wind speeds have topped nearly 80mph.
Officials believe the inferno has already ravaged numerous properties and vast swathes of farmland, inflicting substantial damage on surrounding communities. The wave of blazes in the area claimed the lives of two firefighters who became trapped by the flames.
In a message of condolence, Greek Fire Service chief Theodoros Vagias named the victims as 58-year-old Emmanouil Stratidakis and 25-year-old Pantelis Diamantakis. The announcement also revealed that both firefighters are set to be laid to rest on Thursday.
A third firefighter perished after being discovered unconscious near the southern Peloponnese coastal town of Gytheio. While conditions in Crete are showing signs of improvement, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cautioned of “difficult days” ahead.
A fresh wildfire ignited in an area of sparse vegetation on the Greek island of Paros during the afternoon of July 30. The most recent outbreak follows just days after the island was struck by multiple wildfires that raged for several days, with emergency crews tackling numerous fronts throughout the southern and southeastern regions of one of Greece’s most sought-after tourist spots, reports the Express.
View 2 ImagesAround 8,000 people were evacuated overnight in Rethymno(Image: Getty)
The blaze erupted around midday on Tuesday in the Kampi area, with firefighters managing to largely suppress it by late Tuesday afternoon.
Yet flames reignited once aerial firefighting efforts ceased for the night. Approximately 10 villages across the popular holiday island have been evacuated.
Meanwhile, Europe continues to grapple with one of its most catastrophic wildfire seasons in living memory, with Spain and France bearing the heaviest toll. Since the fires started spreading last Wednesday, roughly 360,000 individuals have been forced to flee their homes throughout France and Spain.
Southwest France has endured the worst of the devastating blazes, with an area four times the size of Paris scorched near Bordeaux. Officials in the Spanish capital of Madrid said the fires are the worst the region have ever experienced.
“The climate emergency is worsening year after year, and we are required to be united to fight against fire, as well as in prevention and reconstruction,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said.
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