A major wildfire continues to burn across southern Rethymno on the island of Crete, with hundreds of firefighters battling multiple active fronts amid extreme weather conditions and difficult terrain.
According to Greece’s Fire Service Operations Coordination Center, powerful winds, rugged landscapes, and inaccessible areas are continuing to complicate efforts to contain the blaze. On Friday, firefighting aircraft were unable to take part in operations because of severe gusts, leaving ground crews to fight repeated flare-ups without aerial support.
Although officials said conditions have improved compared with Thursday, the operation remains ongoing, with firefighters working around the clock to contain hotspots and prevent further spread.
Related: Three Firefighters Die as Wildfires Rage Across Greece, Thousands Evacuated on Crete
New Fire Fronts Emerge as Crete Battle Continues
A wildfire near Asomatos created a new front in the Kourtaliotiko Gorge area of Rethymno on Thursday, July 30, adding pressure to an already stretched firefighting operation.
Fire crews remain concentrated around Krya Vrysi, southern areas of the Agios Vasileios municipality, the Preveli region, and Asomatos, where persistent flare-ups continue to threaten nearby communities.
Ground forces, including specialized forest firefighting units (EMODE), have been reinforced by mobile firefighting teams from mainland Greece. Crews are battling scattered fire fronts while facing strong winds that repeatedly revive previously contained areas.
Residents, volunteers, municipal workers, water tanker operators, and heavy machinery teams from the municipalities of Agios Vasileios, Amari, Rethymno, and southern Heraklion are assisting the firefighting effort.
Firefighters worked throughout Thursday night to keep the flames away from residential areas, focusing particularly on the Agia Paraskevi front. Authorities said the most intense operations are now centered around Krya Vrysi and Asomatos, where crews are attempting to prevent new flare-ups from expanding.
The Fire Service has warned that ground forces will remain on high alert until all active fire fronts are fully contained.
Extreme Winds Complicate Firefighting Operations
The wildfire has been fueled by exceptionally difficult conditions in southern Rethymno, where strong winds have repeatedly changed the direction and intensity of the flames.
Wind speeds reached up to 12 Beaufort in some areas, making firefighting operations extremely challenging. The powerful gusts have reignited hotspots and prevented aerial firefighting aircraft from operating on Friday.
More than 270 firefighters are currently deployed across Rethymno and Sitia, with the largest concentration of forces operating in southern Rethymno, where fires on July 29 and 30 caused widespread damage.
Satellite analysis by the National Observatory of Athens through the European Copernicus program estimates that approximately 45,000 stremmas (around 11,100 acres) of land have been affected so far. The figure does not yet include damage from the newer fire front in the wider Preveli area.
Fires Continue on Aegean Islands
The wildfire situation remains active on several Aegean islands, although conditions have improved in some areas.
On Paros, no major new flare-ups have been reported outside the existing fire perimeter. However, hotspots remain active, requiring firefighters to maintain a constant presence and readiness.
Firefighting forces on the affected islands remain unchanged:
- Paros: 62 firefighters, two specialized ground crews, and 10 fire engines
- Kalymnos: 22 firefighters, one ground crew, and six fire engines
- Andros: 25 firefighters, two ground crews, and five fire engines
Authorities remain particularly vigilant on Paros, where strong winds continue to increase the risk of renewed fire activity.
Meanwhile, the situation on Andros and Kalymnos has improved significantly. According to the Fire Service’s Unified Operations Coordination Center, authorities no longer consider the fires on those islands to pose a major threat of expansion.
New Wildfires Break Out in Western Greece
Additional wildfires have broken out in western Greece.
A forest fire erupted near Archontochori in the municipality of Xiromero, in Aetolia-Acarnania. The response includes 35 firefighters, one specialized ground crew, and 14 fire engines.
Another wildfire broke out in Achaia, prompting authorities to issue a 112 emergency alert at around 5 a.m. Residents in the Floka area of West Achaia were instructed to evacuate toward the nearby village of Arla.
The firefighting operation in Achaia involves 50 firefighters, three ground crews, and 14 fire engines, supported by municipal water tankers.
With strong winds forecast to continue, authorities remain on heightened alert across Greece as firefighters continue battling multiple wildfires across the country.
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