A huge blaze fanned by strong winds raged through forests on the southern island of Crete Wednesday, killing two firefighters and driving authorities to order the evacuation of at least seven villages as adverse weather conditions were forecast to persist for at least another day.
A third firefighter was reported dead in a blaze near Gytheio in the Peloponnese region on the southern Greek mainland.
Two more wildfires were burning in other parts of Crete, and on the eastern island of Lesvos, where the village of Plomari was ordered evacuated. A total 37 wildfires broke out over the past 24 hours since Tuesday evening, the Fire Service said, largely in forests left tinder-dry after weeks of hot, arid summer weather.
Authorities warned that Thursday also would see a major wildfire risk in Crete, the Greater Athens region, the island of Evia, the eastern Peloponnese, the Cyclades and the eastern Aegean Sea islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Ikaria.
In the worst fire, in the Rethymno region of Crete, two firefighters died when they were trapped in their vehicle by huge flames.
