Greece and Turkey Continue to Combat Massive Fires

Firefighters continued battling massive wildfires in Greece and Turkey on Thursday, while conditions improved in France and Spain, allowing thousands of evacuated residents to return to their homes.

Hot, dry weather and strong winds continued to fuel fires in parts of southeastern Europe, hampering firefighting efforts.

The fire situation on the Greek island of Crete continued to worsen, with fierce northerly winds repeatedly stoking the flames, making firefighting operations more difficult.

A new fire broke out near the village of Preveli, where coast guard personnel evacuated approximately 50 people from a coastal strip due to thick smoke.

Firefighters battled the flames for a second consecutive day, with reports indicating that many teams were exhausted. Aircraft and helicopters dedicated to dropping water were able to operate only limitedly due to the strong winds.

Additional fires were reported in the Aegean Sea islands of Andros, Kalymnos, and Paros. Meteorologists described the weather conditions as exceptional, with forecasts predicting strong gusts that would not subside until later on Friday.

Three firefighters were killed and four others injured in the fires on Wednesday.

Emergency teams in Turkey continued fighting multiple fires in the southern and western parts of the country, where strong winds complicated firefighting efforts.

Since Wednesday, authorities have responded to 169 fires nationwide, with 163 of them fully contained by Thursday evening, according to the official Anadolu Agency, citing Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli.

Yumakli stated that fires in the Kash district of Antalya province and in the province of Isparta had been brought under control following intensive aerial and ground operations.

He added that 21 aircraft, 69 helicopters, around 500 fire trucks, and more than 3,500 personnel had been deployed nationwide.