A massive wildfire burning through the forested hills of eastern Crete continues to rage out of control for a second day, forcing mass evacuations, destroying homes, and threatening tourist accommodations and critical infrastructure near the municipality of Ierapetra.
The fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in rugged terrain between Agia Fotia and the village of Skinokapsala. Fanned by gale-force winds reaching level 8 on the Beaufort scale, the blaze quickly spread southward, creating a fire front now stretching over at least 6 kilometers, according to emergency services.
Officials described the firefighting effort as “extremely difficult,” citing steep topography, dense and highly flammable vegetation, and strong winds that have made containment nearly impossible.
Thick smoke has blanketed the wider region, drastically reducing visibility and drifting as far as Makry Gialos beach, about 10 kilometers from the fire’s center. Police closed the main road near Agia Fotia and urged the public to avoid all non-essential travel, citing extreme heat, ashfall, and toxic air.
In Agia Fotia, homes and rental properties have been destroyed, and the area is suffering a power outage. At least four elderly residents were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation. As a precaution, Crete’s hospitals have been placed on high alert by the health ministry.
Authorities have ordered a mass evacuation of hotels, guest houses, and homes in Ferma municipality as flames approach residential zones. More than 1,500 people have been evacuated from surrounding villages and tourist sites and moved to safety in Ierapetra. Roughly 200 evacuees are being housed at the town’s indoor sports arena.
The firefighting response has been bolstered significantly. As of Wednesday night, 155 firefighters, eight specialized foot units, and 38 fire engines were on the ground. Aerial support included four helicopters conducting water drops until sunset. Local municipalities also dispatched water tankers and bulldozers to support the effort.
Reinforcements are en route from mainland Greece. Seventeen additional firefighters and a foot team from the 1st EMODE (Special Forest Firefighting Unit) are traveling from Piraeus with five engines, while 33 more personnel and four EMODE units are flying in from Elefsina.
According to public broadcaster ERT, fire commanders have ordered tactical withdrawals from the fire front to protect personnel, shifting their strategy to building firebreaks around vulnerable settlements. Crews are expected to remain on-site throughout the night.
The 112 emergency warning system issued evacuation alerts throughout the day for the settlements of Achlia, Ferma, Agia Fotia, Galini, and later Koutsounari. Residents and tourists were instructed to move toward Ierapetra for safety. In some isolated areas where roads were blocked, evacuees were reportedly rescued by boat from beaches.
Authorities believe the fire began in a forested area between Agia Fotia and Skinokapsala, with extreme dryness and high winds accelerating its spread.
The Cretan blaze comes amid a broader wave of destructive wildfires across southern Europe. Earlier this week, more than 50,000 people were evacuated in Turkey’s Izmir province. Meanwhile, at least six people have died from heat-related illnesses in Spain, Italy, and France as the continent faces an unusually early and intense summer heatwave.
Greek officials have warned that fire risk remains “extremely high” in the coming days and have urged the public to remain vigilant, comply with evacuation orders, and avoid actions that could spark new fires.
Chioma Kalu
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