A Greek official says it is a "very difficult situation" as the wildfire sees clouds of ash fills the sky over southern Crete, adding: "Right now, they cannot stop it."

Firefighters were struggling Thursday to bring a major wildfire on Greece's southern island of Crete under control, hampered by gale force winds whipping up the flames. Thousands of people were evacuated from hotels and homes overnight after the fire started Wednesday afternoon in the Ierapetra area on the island's southern