Wildfire tears through part of Greek island - forcing hundreds to flee homes and hotels

A fierce wildfire driven by gale-force winds has torn through southern Crete, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,500 people from homes and hotels.

The blaze, which ignited near the village of Achlia, in the Ierapetra area of the Greek island's southern coast, swept across forests and farmland overnight into Thursday.

Crews battled the flames with 230 firefighters and 10 aircraft dropping water from above.

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Some residents were evacuated by boat, and the coast guard kept six vessels on standby for further sea rescues.

Several homes were damaged as flames surged through hillside forests, fuelled by strong winds.

"It's a very difficult situation," said Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official.

"The fire is hard to contain. Right now, they cannot stop it."

Evacuated tourists were taken to a nearby basketball arena and hotels in safer parts of the island, while mobile phone alerts were issued, urging residents to leave immediately and not return to defend their homes.

As the fire approached residential areas, clouds of ash filled the sky and emergency vehicles lined roads near the resorts of Ferma and Achlia.

Several people were treated for breathing problems, but no serious injuries have been reported.

Wildfires are common during Greece's hot, dry summers - and the fire risk remains high across Crete and southern Greece, according to the fire service.

The disaster recalls the deadly 2018 wildfire in Mati, near Athens, where more than 100 people were killed - many trapped in homes or forced into the sea to escape the flames.