Wildfire in Amari and Aghios Vassilios, Rethymno, under control

A wildfire that broke out on Wednesday afternoon in Amari and Aghios Vassilios of Rethymno, Crete, was under control on Thursday morning. There was no active front but only a few scattered fires, however strong firefighting forces remain in the area as the weather conditions increase the possibility of fires rekindling.

Specifically, a total of 47 fire engines and 228 fire fighters, with 14 teams of firefighters on foot, assisted by two firefighting aircraft and five helicopters, one of them for coordination reasons, remain in the area.

The assistance of volunteers and local residents of the wider area, as well as of policemen, was very important for the evacuation of Aghia Paraskevi village. The flames had at one point surrounded the village but the firefighters saved the houses from the blaze.