Firefighters continued their efforts to put out the large fire in Crete that broke on Wednesday near the city of Rethymnon after a resurgence was reported on Thursday morning.
First respondents managed to initially put the blaze under control on Wednesday, preventing it from engulfing residences and spreading to other areas.
However, on the morning of Thursday, while reports suggested the blaze had abated, there was another flare-up in Agios Ioannis, Amari. The head of civil protection for the regional unit of Rethymnon stated to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) that hundreds of olive trees have been burned.
Currently, 228 firefighters, along with 47 vehicles, water tankers, and 14 land units continue to operate in the area, while aerial means have already been deployed to carry out water drops.
Meanwhile, a new message was sent out via the 112-emergency text message, urging residents of the villages of Apodoulou, Agios Ioannis, and Nithavris to remain alert.
A significant development in the battle against the fire in Crete is that the village and settlement of Agia Paraskevi have been saved for the time being.
Speaking to the Athens News Agency, the Mayor of Agios Vasilios, said the fire started in Amari and spread upwards to the Municipality of Agios Vasilios. The fire is burning in rugged terrain and on slopes, where firefighters are operating more effectively due to the terrain.
He emphasized that Crete should have a permanent base for helicopters, as their participation is crucial for the immediate containment and extinguishing of fires when they are quickly called upon to assist in firefighting efforts.
