Thousands evacuated in Crete but Spanish PM ends wildfire emergency

Residents and tourists have been evacuated from several villages in Crete

Thousands of people have been evacuated on the Greek island of Crete as wildfires fanned by strong winds menace tourist resorts and villages.

Two firefighters died on the island on Wednesday when they became trapped while tackling a fire near Krya Vrysi in the Rethymno region. A third firefighter died on the Greek mainland, near the port town of Gytheio in the Peloponnese.

As gusts reached 125km/h (77mph) on the island, around 8,000 people were evacuated from their homes overnight but were later allowed to return.

Greece is among many European countries facing devastating fires and drought.

Several fires have continued to burn in Spain and Portugal, although Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared an end to the national emergency for wildfires in the Ávila and Madrid regions.

In south-west France some residents have been able to return to their homes after a major wildfire in the Gironde region.

The fire raging in Crete broke out in the Rethymno region on Wednesday and has since spread rapidly, destroying homes and agricultural land. It remains one of the biggest fires currently active on the island and is still burning out of control.

There was no clear picture of the destruction so far, Rethymno's deputy regional governor Maria Lioni said, adding that containing the fire 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 categorised as "violent" - fanning the flames and hampering containment efforts.

Some of those evacuated in Rethymno were moved into a temporary shelter.

"It was frightening," British tourist Peter Wood told news agency Reuters the shelter. "We could see the flames in the hills above the village, and the police and firefighters were just telling everyone to leave straight away."

Temporary shelters have been set up for residents and tourists in Crete

The large fire occurs during one of Crete's busiest months for tourism. Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to the region to battle the blaze.

Hellenic Fire Service chief Theodoros Vagias expressed his condolences for the two firefighters who died on Wednesday, naming them as 58-year-old Emmanouil Stratidakis and Pantelis Diamantakis, 25.

Three Greek firefighters die as wildfires threaten parts of southern Europe

France and Spain wildfire witnesses describe 'wall of flames', fear and stress

Meanwhile, wildfires have erupted in the north-western Spanish provinces of Zamora and León,