Firefighters on the Greek island of Crete battled for a third consecutive day Friday to contain a fierce wildfire that has scorched forests and olive groves, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate.
About 130 firefighters, 48 fire engines and six helicopters were deployed to combat the blaze, which continued to threaten the region amid gale-force winds and bone-dry conditions.
“There’s a risk of embers reigniting the flames, especially from the smoldering trunks of olive and pine trees,” a fire brigade official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The blaze comes as much of Europe swelters under an early summer heat wave, which authorities say has been linked to at least eight deaths across the continent.
The fire, which broke out in a village about 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Ierapetra on Wednesday, has consumed swaths of agricultural land in the southeastern corner of the island, leaving dead animals, damaged houses and scorched farm buildings.
About 1,000 residents evacuated Wednesday found temporary shelter at an indoor stadium and in nearby hotels, while around 5,000 holidaymakers left the area.
Many evacuees were expected to return home later Friday as the situation improved, George Tsapakos, a deputy civil protection governor for Crete, told Reuters.
Tourism is a key industry on Crete, Greece’s largest island, and local hoteliers expressed concern about the impact on future bookings as the fire hit at the start of the peak summer holiday season.
Separately, about 148 firefighters battled a blaze that broke out in the Athens suburb of Pikermi on Thursday, threatening homes, causing power cuts and prompting authorities to evacuate more than 300 people. The fire was contained but not yet fully extinguished, the fire brigade official said.
Temperatures in Greece were forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday, the Greek weather service said.
In Italy, the health ministry placed 20 of the 27 cities it monitors for heat waves on red alert Friday. Public broadcaster RAI said temperatures were expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius in Florence and 37 degrees Celsius in Rome, Bologna and Perugia.
With the heat comes a higher risk of wildfires.
Greece and other Mediterranean countries lie in a region dubbed a “wildfire hotspot” by scientists, with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These fires have become more destructive in recent years due to a rapidly changing climate.
