Crete wildfire 'retreating', say Greek firefighters

A house burning during a wildfire in Pikermi, some 30 Kms east of Athens. Hot dry weather in Greece, which is not unusual for this time of year, has heightened the risk of a repeat of the summer wildfires that have hit the country in recent years. AFP.Caption

A wildfire on the Greek island of Crete that forced the evacuation of 5,000 tourists and locals is "retreating", firefighters told AFP Friday.

Some 230 firefighters and six helicopters are still at the scene near the resort town of Ierapetra, where 3,000 visitors had to leave their hotels and guest houses on Wednesday evening.

"The fire is retreating," fire department spokesman Vassilios Vathrakoyannis told AFP. "There are still fears of flare-ups, but there is no longer a major front," he added.

Scattered hot spots still remain and firefighters are dealing with several smoke-filled areas from which flare-ups have restarted, the fire department told the ANA press agency.

However, weakening winds in the hard-to-reach area have improved the situation, firefighters said.

Another blaze fanned by strong winds that broke out near the port of Rafina, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) east of Athens, was brought under control on Thursday evening, the authorities said.

However, with the wildfire not far from Athens International Airport, fire crews remain on alert with winds still strong.

The fire, which led to the evacuation of 300 people, destroyed a few houses and vehicles, the local mayor Dimitris Markou told public broadcaster ERT.

It also disrupted ferries to and from tourist islands in the western Aegean, including Mykonos.

Greece has so far been spared from the heatwave roasting parts of Europe, particularly Spain, Portugal and France. But starting this weekend, temperatures will rise and reach up to 43 degrees Centigrade (109 Fahrenheit) in some areas of the country.

Hot dry weather is not unusual for Greece at this time of year, with the heightened risk of devastating wildfires that have plagued the country in recent years.