Greek firefighters on Wednesday (July 2) battled a fierce wildfire on the island of Crete, a popular tourist destination. The fire scorched forested areas, threatened homes, and forced the evacuation of residents and tourists from at least four settlements. According to the Greek fire brigade, around 155 firefighters supported by 38 fire engines and water trucks were deployed to fight the flames in the Ierapetra municipality, located on the island’s southeastern coast. The blaze began in the afternoon and was intensified by powerful winds, which made firefighting efforts more difficult and reignited several fronts. Additional reinforcements were being sent by air and sea from Athens.

A fire brigade official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, described the blaze as extremely challenging due to the combination of strong winds and rugged terrain. Local media reported that some houses had sustained damage, although no injuries had been reported. Authorities had earlier ordered evacuations in Achlia and three nearby settlements. Approximately 3,000 people who were forced to leave their homes were moved to temporary shelters, according to local officials.

Greece frequently experiences wildfires during its dry, hot summers, but officials say increasingly severe conditions driven by climate change are making such incidents more destructive. On the same day, firefighters were also battling separate wildfires on the island of Kythira and in the northern region of Chalkidiki, both of which remained out of control.