Large fire burning grassland in western Crete

A fire that broke out on Thursday morning in the area Ahladia of Sitia, in eastern Crete, was burning shrubs and grassland and was fanned by strong winds.

The fire service has deployed 20 firemen with eight vehicles, one team on foot and one water-dropping helicopter.

Houses and wind turbines in the area were not threatened by the flames, authorities said.

According to local news website cretalive.gr, a second blaze started at the village of Pefka, near the beach Makris Yialos.