Three Greek firefighters killed as wildfires strike further east in Europe

Three Greek firefighters lost their lives battling blazes on the island of Crete and the mainland as wildfires raged across Europe on Wednesday. The deaths occurred during high winds that fanned flames, exacerbating devastating fires that had already struck Spain and France.

On Crete, two firefighters were trapped and died near the village of Krya Vrysi while moving between fire fronts. A third firefighter perished in a separate blaze in the Peloponnese region, according to a fire department spokesperson who spoke with Reuters. Residents and tourists in Krya Vrysi and nearby villages were evacuated as the wind pushed the fire toward popular holiday destinations like Agia Galini, a coastal town lined with hotels.

"The wind is unbelievable – you can’t stand sometimes. The flames were huge, it was really scary,” said resident Chrissa Gioukaki. Tourists were evacuated from Agia Galini by bus and car on Wednesday afternoon, confirmed Charalampos Sevvas, owner of the Galini Mare hotel.

Earlier in the day, the head of the EU’s emergency response center warned that Greece and Italy faced an elevated wildfire risk in the coming weeks. Europe, experiencing the world's fastest warming, has endured record heatwaves this year. Climate change is intensifying the heat and drought that fuel faster wildfire spread. Major evacuations have occurred in Spain and France recently, with fires scorching forests and killing wildlife. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska cautioned of "three tough days" ahead due to strong winds and high temperatures, even as a significant fire near Madrid stabilized, allowing some evacuation orders to be lifted. Officials also warned of another fire in the northwestern Spanish province of Zamora, prompting evacuation orders for six towns and shelter-in-place requests for about 1,000 people.

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The wind is unbelievable – you can’t stand sometimes. The flames were huge, it was really scary