Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK Another summer of wildfires in Greece. Since last night (2.7), a massive fire has been raging in the Lassithi region, the easternmost region of Crete.
Hundreds of firefighting teams were dispatched yesterday evening to try and control the flames, and as of this morning (3.7), around 36 fire trucks are still operating at the site. According to official reports from the Hellenic Fire Service, the fire has been reduced but full control has not yet been achieved.
According to Greek authorities, the current fire epicenter is in Ierapetra in the southeast of the island. As of this morning, there is no danger of the fire spreading north towards the tourist areas of Agios Nikolaos or Sitia. However, residents in the fire zone have been evacuated from their homes and roads have been closed to keep citizens safe.
In order to conclude the operation and prevent the fire from spreading further, additional firefighting teams from other parts of the country have been dispatched to assist. They are expected to arrive by air and sea.
In recent days, a severe fire warning has been issued across Greece (as shown on the map, primarily for the south but also for many other parts) due to the country's intense heatwave, which is expected to persist into the coming week. Fires have already broken out in multiple regions including Chalkidiki and several towns north of Athens.
As a reminder, in previous years, both residents and authorities in Greece have faced particularly harsh summer fires, including on the island of Rhodes, where exactly two years ago, in July 2023, they dealt with fires that severely impacted the island's tourist season.