Greek wildfires kill 3 firefighters, force sea rescues near Athens
Why it matters: About 8,000 people were evacuated on Crete, and Spain and Portugal are also battling major blazes after repeated heatwaves.
Wildfires driven by violent winds killed three firefighters in Greece this week and forced hundreds of people to flee by sea from the coastal area of Agios Vasileios in Viotia, northwest of Athens. More than 300 firefighters were battling flames near Porto Germeno on Aug. 1 after about 300 people were rescued by boat, while another 100 were awaiting evacuation, according to local media and the Greek news agency Amna. On Crete, a large fire in the Rethymno region burned thousands of hectares, damaged homes and farmland, and prompted the temporary evacuation of about 8,000 people. Fires also broke out on Paros, Andros and Kalymnos as Greece issued maximum fire-risk alerts. Spain, Portugal and Turkey were also fighting major blazes amid heat and drought across southern Europe.