Most of those fleeing the blaze were tourists as firefighters struggled against heavy winds to bring the flames under control.

Firefighters are struggling to bring a major wildfire on Greece’s southern island of Crete under control, hampered by gale force winds that are whipping up the flames.

Authorities on Crete moved more than a thousand tourists and residents to safety as an out-of-control wildfire engulfed a forested area in the southwest of the island.