Greek firefighters report progress in containing Crete wildfire

Firefighting efforts

Some 230 firefighters and six helicopters remain at the scene near the resort town of Ierapetra, where 3,000 visitors had to leave their hotels and guest houses on Wednesday evening.

"The fire is retreating," fire department spokesman Vassilios Vathrakoyannis said. "There are still fears of flare-ups, but there is no longer a major front," he added.

Scattered hot spots still remain, and firefighters are dealing with several smoke-filled areas from which flare-ups have restarted, the fire department informed the ANA press agency.

Weather conditions

However, weakening winds in the hard-to-reach area have improved the situation, firefighters said.

Another blaze, fanned by strong winds, broke out near the port of Rafina, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) east of Athens, and was brought under control on Thursday evening, the authorities reported.

Despite the wildfire not far from Athens International Airport, fire crews remain on alert due to still strong winds.

Impact of the fires

The fire, which led to the evacuation of 300 people, destroyed a few houses and vehicles, local mayor Dimitris Markou told public broadcaster ERT.

It also disrupted ferries to and from tourist islands in the western Aegean, including Mykonos.

Upcoming weather forecast

Greece has so far been spared from the heatwave roasting parts of Europe, particularly Spain, Portugal, and France. However, starting this weekend, temperatures are expected to rise and reach up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas of the country.

Hot, dry weather is not unusual for Greece at this time of year, contributing to the heightened risk of devastating wildfires that have plagued the country in recent years.