Finnish tourists have been advised to leave hotel buildings as a precaution. According to the authorities, the fire is already under control.
Leonard Wilhelmus,
Linda Tammela
11.9. 20:28•Updated 11.9. 22:18
On the island of Crete, extensive wildfires have broken out today, Wednesday, near tourist hotels in the village of Platanias near the city of Chania, says Greek magazine Ekathimerini.
According to the newspaper, the fire started in the reeds, and it has spread quickly due to strong winds. According to the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, the fire would have started in the Lidl store, from where it had spread to the countryside.
Due to the fire raging near the hotels, evacuation orders have been given in the area and several hotels have been evacuated.
– The situation is difficult, but the fire extinguishing work is significant. We are trying to stop the fire from the south, where it is spreading, local authorities said, according to the Greek newspaper.
“The column of smoke was big and ash rained down on the beach”
Vacationing in Chania The fairy tale of Ketonen tells that tourists have been very well informed about the fires. He says that he received two danger notification messages on his phone. Ketonen is on a self-employed trip in private accommodation.
He describes the atmosphere on site as generally calm, and according to him, there has been no panic.
– Helicopters have been flying since morning, which means water has been taken to the fire area. The column of smoke was big and ash rained down on the beach. The smoke has been smelling all day, he describes.
Ketonen photographed the wildfire from the beach of Nea Chora, which is located in the western part of Chania and close to the actual fire area.
Finns had to leave their hotel rooms
Platanias is popular with Finns and some hotels used by Finns have had to be emptied as a precaution.
Apollomatki has about a hundred Finnish customers in the area, and some of them were evacuated from the hotels as a precaution, the company says.
According to the tour organizer Tui, there are about 80 of their customers there. According to Tui’s media service, the situation started to be partially over a little before eight in the evening.
Tjäreborg’s country manager Jessica Virtanen according to their Nordic customers in the region, there are about 200, but there are only three Finns among them.
– We have evacuated three hotels as a precaution, but according to the current information, the fire is already under control and now we will see if we can return to the hotel rooms, Virtanen says.
Finnair’s communication says that some of the hotels used by Aurinkomatkat have been emptied as a precaution. Aurinkomatkat has also communicated the situation directly to its customers.
– The local authorities there are very sensitive about precautions, Finnair’s director of communications Days Tallqvist tells. Also according to him, the fire has already calmed down and it is under control of the firefighting personnel.
250 Norwegians evacuated
Norwegian public radio NRK says that among the evacuees are at least 250 Norwegian tourists.
– Helicopters fly here and try to limit the spread of the fire, Trond Hågensen said to NRK.
Hägensen said that there are many tourists who are outside.
The Greek Rescue Service asked all people in the vicinity of Platanias Square to move west towards Gerani and follow the authorities’ orders.
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The story was updated on September 11, 2024 at 10:09 p.m.: added the comments of Satu Ketonen, who is in Hania.