ATHENS (Reuters) -Firefighters battled for a third day on Friday to put out a wildfire on the Greek island of Crete that has razed forests and olive groves and forced thousands of residents and tourists to leave the area.

A massive Greece wildfire on Crete, fueled by extreme heat and gale winds, has forced over 1,500 residents and tourists to evacuate as hundreds of firefighters battle multiple fronts. The post Greece Wildfire Engulfs Crete,

According to Reuters, thousands were evacuated late last week as Crete endured gale force winds that exacerbated wildfires that burned forests and olive groves. At least 3,500 tourists were evacuated from Ierapetra last week, but have since been returned to their original lodgings. Temperatures reached over 100 degrees Fahrenheit this past week.