The wildfire in south Rethymno has rekindled on Thursday prompting more evacuations of several villages and settlements. Powerful winds make the work of firefighters extremely difficult.
The fire started around noon on Wednesday in the wider region of the municipalities of Amari and Aghios Vassilio south of Rethymnon on the island of Crete.
Τhe fire burned all night yet it was without active front on Thursday morning. It rekindled toward noon, prompting the evacuation of Adoulos, Agios Ioannis, Nithavris, Apodoulos, Sata, Rizika, Patanos and again the village of Agia Paraskevi.
Strong firefighting forces were enhanced by teams from Athens and have been assisted by water-dropping aircraft and helicopters.
According to ANT1 TV, currently operate:
- 228 firefighters
- 47 fire engines
- 14 groups of infantry divisions
- 10 aircraft and 6 helicopters
It should be noted that a large part of the firefighting forces from all over Crete have been mobilized in assistance of “forest commandos” who arrived late on Wednesday from Athens. A second airborne team from Athens with 40 forest commandos is currently on the way to Crete, while 13 aircraft and 9 helicopters from Rhodes and Elefsina in Attica have been ordered to move to the wildfire in Rethymno.
The destruction caused by the fire is big great both in infrastructure such as water supply and irrigation networks as well as in crops, olive groves, part of forest area and agricultural holdings such as vineyards.
According to the mayor Amariou Pantelis Mourtzanos, the municipality is being tested by the size of the fire and called for the area to be declared in “a state of emergency.”
The fire is considered to be currently out of control.
c’est une zone immense. un désastre absolu. pour les gens bien sûr, mais aussi les bêtes petites et grandes, les cultures dans cette zone si belle et intéressante de la crète, la flore. un incendie a eu lieu il y a pas longtemps au-dessus de chez moi, la peur qu’on ressent, le désespoir, et que faire avec mes chats ! mes vieux chiens ! choisir de lutter ? mais il n’y a pas d’eau ? fuir ? avec mes 50 chats ?? et par où ? bref, un incendie c’est une panique atroce, une destruction durable, c’est horrible.
so sorry to read that. no words.
(il faut regarder la grandeur de la zone touchée sur google earth, c’est fou, toute proportion gardée un incendie “californien”)