RAGING wildfires have spread across a Greek holiday hotspot with 1,500 people evacuated from their homes and hotels to escape the inferno.
The night sky turned orange as the burning blazes left a trail of destruction on the popular island of Crete.
Evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island’s south coast, authorities said.
More than 150 firefighters were operating in the area, while water-dropping planes and helicopters remained grounded overnight.
Six people have been taken to hospital for breathing problems, officials confirmed.
Thick smoke was seen rising into the night sky as the wildfires continued to spread towards residential areas.
Despite the size of the blaze there have been no immediate reports of serious injuries, officials said.
Homes were reportedly damaged as flames swept through hillside forests, fanned by strong winds.
The wildfires in Crete are now burning fiercely in three distinct areas: Ferma, Achlia, and Schinokapsala. Efforts to control the fires are being hindered by strong winds reaching speeds of up to 72mph.
Additional support, comprising of five fire engines and teams, arrived by sea on Thursday morning, following the deployment of extra crews from Athens via a C-130 military aircraft shortly after midnight.
Over 1,500 people have now been evacuated, authorities confirmed.
Emergency alerts were issued throughout the day for villages including Agia Fotia, Galini, Ferma and Koutsounari.
Some were rescued from beaches by boat as the flames pushed down to the shoreline, with thick smoke drifting across the sea near Makrys Gialos.
Tourists were evacuated from their accommodations and relocated to temporary shelters, such as an indoor basketball arena in Ierapetra, as the fires threatened to approach coastal resorts.
“The tourists who were moved out are all okay,” said civil protection official Nektarios Papadakis.
“They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island.”
The fire now spans more than six kilometres, with some homes, accommodation and greenhouses already damaged in Ferma and Agia Fotia.
Emergency workers and volunteers continued to build fire breaks overnight using hand tools, heavy machinery and graders in an effort to stop the flames reaching more built-up areas.
Meanwhile, firefighters remain in a race against time ahead of more strong winds forecast through Thursday afternoon.
The Fire Service continues to warn of “very high” wildfire risk across Crete and southern Greece.
It comes after wildfires in Turkey spread across holiday hotspots and caused havoc across the country.
Wildfires erupted in popular areas Kuyucak and Doganbey fanned overnight by winds which reached 25-30mph.
Four villages and two neighbourhoods were forced to evacuate, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said.
And while those in Sakarya and Manisa are now largely under control, Izmir is still being ravaged by the flames.
More than 50,000 people have been evacuated since the wildfires started.
Adnan Menderes Airport was forced to temporarily close due to the raging wildfires, with some incoming planes forced to divert to other airports.
Extinguishing efforts prevented jets from taking off or landing at the airport on Sunday.
