Greece: Thousands of people in Crete were evacuated due to wildfires.

.CRETE, GREECE - RELEASED ON JULY 30, 2026 - RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “GREEK COAST GUARD” HANDOUT, MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO —EDITORIAL USE ONLY— Three firefighters have died in wildfires across Greece, two on the island of Crete and one in the Peloponnese region in southern Greece, local media reported on Wednesday. The two firefighters were found dead inside their vehicle in the Nea Krya Vrysi area of Crete's Rethymno region after they were apparently trapped by the flames. One was a seasonal firefighter, while the other had served for five years at the Agia Fotini fire station. “Today is an extremely difficult day for the Fire Department,” the agency said in a statement, expressing condolences to their families and colleagues. The third firefighter was found unconscious, outside the wildfire's perimeter in the Ageranos area of Gythio in the Peloponnese, the Fire Brigade announced. He was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital, where he was pronounced dead. - Thousands of people were evacuated Meanwhile, thousands of people in Crete were evacuated due to the flames spreading rapidly with the wind. Tourist facilities and villages were also affected by the evacuations. It was reported that in the city of Rethymno, 8,000 people were evacuated at night.