Thousands evacuated in Crete as European wildfires continue to rage

There is no clear picture of the destruction so far, Rethymno's deputy regional governor Maria Lioni said, adding that the fire was still burning and that containing it was the main priority.Lioni described Wednesday as a "dark day" for the region and said gusts overnight reached up to 11 on the Beaufort scale - a wind force which is categorised as "violent".Despite firefighting efforts, strong winds are fanning flames and hampering containment operations - with local media reporting that firefighting aircraft have been unable to fly on Thursday morning.Some of those evacuated in Rethymno have been moved into a temporary shelter in a neighbouring municipality, Lioni said, adding provisions were also in place for tourists.ReutersTemporary shelters have been set up for residents and tourists in CreteJuly is one of the busiest months for tourists in Crete, with millions visiting the island each year.Around 224 firefighters have been deployed in the region, with 53 engines,11 specialised units and two aircraft allocated, according to the country's fire service.Greek Fire Service chief Theodoros Vagias published a note of condolence to the two firefighters who died on Wednesday, naming them as 58-year-old Emmanouil Stratidakis and 25-year-old Pantelis Diamantakis.