Greece Wildfires: Thousands Evacuated as British Tourists Urged to Register for Emergency Alerts

The Greek island of Crete is facing a major wildfire that has already forced the evacuation of 3,000 residents. The blaze, which started on Wednesday, has been fueled by strong winds and has spread rapidly, threatening homes and residential areas. The fire has prompted the UK government to urge British tourists traveling to Greece to ensure their mobile phones are registered to receive emergency alerts. As firefighters work to contain the blaze, local authorities have warned tourists not to return to try and save their property, and several residents have been treated for breathing difficulties.

Key Takeaways:

• Over 3,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes due to the wildfire in Crete.
• The fire has destroyed homes and threatened residential areas, with flames sweeping through hillside forests.
• More than 150 firefighters are operating in the area, assisted by water-dropping planes and helicopters that were grounded overnight.
• Members of specialized units are creating hillside fire breaks to try and slow the advance of the blaze.
• UK government advice urges British tourists to register for emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near their location.
• Several residents have been treated for breathing difficulties, but there were no immediate reports of serious injuries.
• The blaze has forced tourists to be relocated to indoor basketball arenas and hotels in other regions of the island.
• The fire service and civil protection agency have issued localised mobile phone alerts for evacuations and have appealed to residents not to return to try and save their property.

Statistics:

• 3,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes due to the wildfire in Crete.
• The fire has spread rapidly, fueled by strong winds, and has destroyed homes and threatened residential areas.
• More than 150 firefighters are operating in the area.
• Several residents have been treated for breathing difficulties, with no immediate reports of serious injuries.
• The UK government has issued advice to British tourists traveling to Greece, urging them to register for emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near their location.

Sources:

• AFP via Getty Images
• UK government foreign travel advice
• Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official at the regional authority
• The Fire Service and a civil protection agency