Greece deploys aerial firefighting assets as deadly wildfires spread across Crete

Greek firefighting aircraft and helicopters have been deployed to battle multiple wildfires on the island of Crete, where three firefighters have died and thousands of residents and tourists have been evacuated as blazes continue to spread across Southern Europe.

More than 200 firefighters, supported by dozens of fire engines and water-carrying aircraft, were battling two major wildfires today (30 July) that have destroyed agricultural land, olive groves, warehouses, and several homes.

The latest outbreak follows a series of devastating fires in France and Spain during one of Europe’s most severe wildfire seasons in recent years.

Two firefighters were killed after becoming trapped while driving between separate fire fronts near the village of Krya Vrysi in central Crete. A third firefighter died tackling a separate wildfire in Greece’s Peloponnese region, while two colleagues sustained minor injuries.

Aerial assets have played a central role in the response, although operations were temporarily suspended as strong winds made flying conditions unsafe.

“Aircraft were unable to operate this morning due to the strong winds,” Giorgos Tsapakos, Crete’s Deputy Regional Governor for Civil Protection, told SKAI TV, adding that weather conditions were expected to deteriorate later in the day.

As conditions improved, firefighting aircraft resumed operations alongside helicopters and ground crews to slow the advancing fire fronts, while hundreds of people were evacuated by land and sea from villages threatened by the blazes.

The fires come as Europe continues to experience prolonged heat and drought, with authorities warning that elevated wildfire risk is likely to persist in the coming weeks.

Related coverage: AirMed&Rescue recently reported on Greece’s deployment of firefighting aircraft and the subsequent dispatch of two Canadair CL-415s to Spain under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.