“We evacuated about 8 thousand people” from the village of Agia Galinio, Retimno regional governor’s deputy Maria Lioni told the public television ERT.
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The decision to evacuate people was made due to a fire that broke out on Wednesday, which earlier claimed the lives of two firefighters, approaching within one kilometer of the village, and changed direction in the evening.
It is believed that the fire destroyed some homes, agricultural facilities, and killed livestock, but the losses are not yet clear as the fire is still ongoing, said M. Lioni.
Two firefighters were trapped on a mountain road near the village of Kria Vrisio and died as the wind constantly changed direction.
“It was a dark day,” said M. Lioni.
The third firefighter collapsed and died while extinguishing another fire near Githio, in the Peloponnese peninsula.
The Fire Department in the Retimno district, in the southwestern part of Crete, deployed more than 200 firefighters and 53 vehicles, but strong winds hindered most aircraft from drawing seawater.
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A spokesperson for the Coast Guard told the news agency AFP that four boats, including one from the European Union (EU) border agency “Frontex,” are on duty at the port of Agia Galinio; they are ready to assist with additional evacuation.
Strong winds blowing
“However, conditions are extremely difficult, with strong gusts of wind,” he said.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis honored the memory of the fallen firefighters on Wednesday.
“Our thoughts are with them, as well as with all firefighters, volunteers, and security forces members fighting the fire fronts in the face of a new harsh reality they face every year,” said the prime minister.
Greece faces devastating forest fires almost every summer, as prolonged drought, high temperatures, and strong winds create ideal conditions for fires to spread rapidly.
The Ministry of Civil Protection announced nearly maximum fire danger for Thursday in several regions, including Crete, most of Athens, eastern Peloponnese, and most of the Aegean islands.
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