The fire broke out around 10 a.m. in Vatera, a popular holiday destination on the island. It eventually spread to the villages of Vrisa and the interior of Vatera. As a precaution, the mayor ordered the evacuation of the seaside resort, on the advice of the fire brigade. It is still unclear how many people have had to leave their homes.
The fire service has deployed seven planes and a helicopter to fight the blaze, awaiting reinforcements from northern Greece. At least two houses have already been destroyed by the flames, local media said.
Firefighters are also fighting a massive fire in Dadia National Park, in northeastern Greece, for the third day in a row. On Wednesday, a forest fire in the mountains near Athens also damaged houses and forced hundreds of people to evacuate. Last year, a heat wave and wildfires destroyed 103,000 hectares and killed three people in Greece.
The increase in extreme weather events, scientists say, is a direct result of global warming, with greenhouse gas emissions increasing in intensity, duration and frequency.