A serious wildfire erupted on Wednesday afternoon in a agro-forested area in eastern Crete, at the Ahlia site in Lasithi prefecture, with authorities later issuing an alert to local residents to evacuate towards Ierapetra.
The blaze was burning out of control in the evening, with thick smoke covering the entire area and the Makri Yialo beach, while several residences have been destroyed and local hotels are threatened.
According to media reports, some local residents and visitors had gathered on the beach in order to be evacuated by boat. A power outage also affected the area.
A total of 145 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, operating 25 vehicles, while two water-dropping aircraft assisted before dawn. Later reports said more fire-fighters were being airlifted from the mainland.