©picture alliance / Anadolu | Ayhan Mehmet
Forest fires in Southern Europe are escalating. A massive fire is raging on the Greek island of Crete, which local media report is “out of control.”
In the Rethymno region, where the fire broke out on Tuesday, some 8,000 people have already been evacuated from the coastal tourist town of Agia Galini. Storm-force gusts of up to 125 km/h (11–12 on the Beaufort scale) have rendered firefighting planes and helicopters virtually unusable; meanwhile, the fire has spread toward Agalianos and Kerames. The situation is life-threatening. Two firefighters, aged 27 and 58, were killed when they were trapped by the flames on Crete. A third firefighter died near the port city of Gytheio, on the Peloponnese Peninsula. Greece has declared alert level 4 (on a scale of 5) for Crete, Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, and Psara, among other areas; level 3 is in effect around Athens. On Lesbos, near Plomari, flames are also rapidly spreading toward homes, while on Paros, dozens of villages have been temporarily evacuated.
Meanwhile, there is tentatively good news from France. After a third “quiet” night, 84,000 evacuees in the Gironde were allowed to return home. The fire there has destroyed 42,000 hectares, but cooler weather and light rain are helping firefighters. The A63 highway reopened on Thursday afternoon. A fire near Dijon (Burgundy) is also under control, though it has not been completely extinguished.
Climate experts link the heat wave that has been plaguing Europe for weeks to the increase in these types of “mega-fires.” The European Commission warned earlier this week that fire risks in the Mediterranean region are continuing to rise. On Crete, evacuees are being sheltered in schools and sports halls; hotels in Rethymno are assisting with relocation efforts. The fire department has mobilized more than 200 personnel and dozens of vehicles, but says that large-scale aerial firefighting operations will only be possible once the wind subsides. For tourists and residents, the advice remains the same: follow the instructions issued by the authorities via 112 emergency calls.
©picture alliance / Anadolu | Ayhan Mehmet