Greek authorities are battling a fast-moving wildfire on the island of Crete for a third consecutive day after strong winds pushed flames from hillside forests toward coastal resorts near Ierapetra. Precautionary orders have moved several thousand residents and tourists from hotels and villages into temporary shelters, according to local officials and the fire service. The blaze, which ignited on Wednesday, has torn through olive groves, greenhouses and homes across three active fronts at Achlia, Ferma and Skinokapsala. About 230 firefighters, nearly 50 engines and up to 10 water-bombing helicopters were mobilised at the height of the effort; on Friday some 130 firefighters and six aircraft remained on the scene, with gusts approaching 80 kilometres per hour repeatedly fanning new outbreaks. Meteorologists expect temperatures to climb to roughly 38 °C, raising the risk of further flare-ups. Crete’s emergency follows a separate series of fires that prompted a state of emergency on the island of Chios on 23 June, when 16 settlements were cleared and hundreds of firefighters deployed. The back-to-back incidents underscore Greece’s vulnerability to destructive wildfires at the very start of the summer tourism season, a threat officials and scientists attribute to hotter, drier conditions across the Mediterranean. The fire brigade has issued high-risk alerts for southern Greece and urged residents and visitors to heed emergency text warnings as winds are forecast to stay strong through the weekend. Crews remain on heightened standby to protect settlements, critical infrastructure and popular tourist areas.