Greece tames wildfire on Crete, authorities on alert

Greece brought a wildfire under control on the island of Crete on Saturday that forced dozens to flee their homes, the fire department said, with authorities on alert due to strong winds.
The blaze that broke out earlier in the day, fanned by strong winds, spread across the slopes of the mountainous forest east of the seaside town of Ierapetra.
Authorities ordered the precautionary evacuation of the villages of Achlia, Galini, Agia Fotia and Mavros Kolimpos, as the blaze closed in on some homes.
“The fire has subsided significantly after the efforts of hundreds of firefighters,” a fire service official told Reuters. “It was the first big one near a residential area this year.”