Greek firefighters battle deadly wildfires on Crete for a second day as fires spread across Europe

Greek firefighters continued battling deadly wildfires on Crete for a second day on Thursday, as blazes spread across Europe. On Wednesday, three Greek firefighters died, two on Crete and one in the Peloponnese, while two others were injured. Hundreds of residents and tourists were evacuated from villages near popular holiday spots on Crete due to high winds. On Thursday, over 200 firefighters, dozens of engines, and aircraft were deployed on Crete, where agricultural crops, olive groves, warehouses, and some houses were damaged. Giorgos Tsapakos, deputy regional governor, stated, "Unfortunately there is no improvement, and the latest information indicates that winds will increase later in the day." The EU's emergency response center warned Greece and Italy face heightened wildfire risk as record-breaking heatwaves intensify across Europe.