Greece: Hotels Evacuated Due to Massive Fire on Crete Island

A massive fire broke out near the town of Platanias on the west side of the Greek island of Crete on Wednesday, prompting authorities to evacuate hundreds of tourists from two large hotels in the area, according to a fire brigade spokesman.

The fire began in a reed bed between the beach and the hotels and spread rapidly, fueled by strong winds. Authorities were forced to evacuate the entire western part of Platanias, a town with about 15,000 residents that attracts thousands of tourists every summer.

More than 90 firefighters, supported by 30 trucks and three tanker helicopters, worked to contain the flames.

By late Wednesday afternoon, the fire had been contained to a "stable perimeter," but it was not yet under control, the spokesman said.

Hundreds of tourists, carrying their suitcases, left their hotels in the afternoon amid dense smoke and a suffocating atmosphere.

Although current temperatures are relatively normal for the season, two extreme heat waves in June and July, with temperatures exceeding 44 degrees Celsius in some areas, had dried out vegetation, contributing to the outbreak and spread of fires.

Another fire broke out on the Mount Athos peninsula in Chalkidiki, northern Greece, with dozens of firefighters also battling it.

In August, a massive fire devastated more than 10,000 hectares in the Athens area, killing one woman and destroying hundreds of houses, businesses, and vehicles.