Fire on Kreta forced the overnight evacuation of about 8,000 residents and tourists from threatened areas as flames spread near Retimno. Maria Lioni said the priority now is to bring the blaze under control. She also said there is still no clear picture of the damage.
Retimno and Agios Pavlos
The fire broke out on Wednesday near Retimno and quickly spread, destroying nearby homes and farmland. Strong gusts reached 125 kilometers per hour, and night winds rose to 11 on the Beaufort scale. Lioni called Wednesday a “black day” for the region.
Some of those moved from Retimno were taken to temporary shelters. Bianca Boorer, who was in Agios Pavlos, said, “To było jak wulkan na zboczu góry” and, “Patrzyłam na ogień i po prostu nie wiedziałam, co robić.” Peter Wood said the experience was “bardzo przerażające” and added, “Widzieliśmy płomienie na wzgórzach nad wioską. Policja i ratownicy kazali wszystkim natychmiast opuścić to miejsce.”
Daniela Schmidt i dokumenty
Daniela Schmidt, a tourist from Austria, said, “Nie mieliśmy bagaży ani dokumentów. Mieliśmy tylko stroje kąpielowe.” Rescuers tried to recover passports and wallets left behind by some vacationers. The evacuation moved people first; for many, the immediate task was leaving with whatever they could carry.
Kiryakos Mitsotakis and Grecja
Three firefighters died during the response: two near Krya Vrysi on the island and a third on the Greek mainland. Kiriakos Mitsotakis had warned that difficult days would come because of persistent heat, and temperatures in parts of Grecja last week rose above 40 degrees Celsius. Fires also burned on Lesbos, Paros and the Półwysep Peloponez.
The urgent issue now is how many more people may still need to leave before the fire on Kreta is brought under control, because Lioni said the damage picture is still not clear and the response is still centered on stopping the spread.
