Firefighters battled through the night early Thursday against a rapidly spreading in largest island, Crete.
The wildfire triggered the evacuation of residents and tourists from the island’s south coast.
Some people were treated for breathing difficulties, but there were no immediate reports of more serious injuries.
Crete settlements evacuated
Authorities ordered evacuations of the popular resort of Achlia and three other settlements in the wider Crete area.
The Fire Service and a civil protection agency issued localized mobile phone alerts for the evacuations and asked residents not to return to their properties.
At least 1,500 people were reportedly evacuated and taken to temporary shelters.
What we know about the Crete wildfire
The blaze broke out Wednesday afternoon and strong winds rekindled the flames on hillside forests, the Greek fire brigade service said.
Water-dropping planes and helicopters were grounded overnight, while more than 150 firefighters were trying to break up the fire on the hills to slow its advance.
“It’s a very difficult situation. The fire is very hard to contain. Right now, they cannot contain it,” Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official at the regional authority, told the Associated Press (AP) news agency.
Greece is during the hot and dry summers. The latest fire comes as .
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher
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