Crete burns: Thousands displaced as European wildfires continue

July is one of the busiest months for tourists in Crete, with millions visiting the island each year.

About 224 firefighters are deployed in the region, and 53 engines, 11 special units and two aircraft have been assigned, according to the country’s fire protection service.

The head of Greece’s fire service, Theodoros Vagias, issued a statement of condolence for the two firefighters who died on Wednesday, naming them as 58-year-old Emmanuel Stratidakis and 25-year-old Pantelis Diamantakis.

Both will be buried on Thursday, the statement added.

Meanwhile, in Spain, near the Portuguese border, around 600 people have been evacuated due to a fire in the Spanish town of Zamora.

Five people were injured in a fire in the eastern Portuguese town of Valpacos, local media reported.

However, fires near the Spanish capital, Madrid, have stopped spreading and thousands of residents have been allowed to return home.

To the west, a fire that burned more than 43,000 hectares (108,000 acres) in Avila province last week is now said to be the largest wildfire in Spanish history.

Hundreds of homes were also evacuated in Turkey, but most of the fires in the region were under control, officials said.