Vacation paradise evacuated as raging wildfire threatens to roar back amid high winds

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Greek authorities warned Wednesday that strong winds could reignite a wildfire on thepopular tourist islandof Paros, after the blaze forced residents and visitors to evacuate.

Paros, an island between Mykonos and Santorini, was hit by the wildfire Tuesday, prompting precautionary evacuations in multiple communities.

Flames spread through dry vegetation near the Kampi area, Italian outlet Ansa reported.

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Although the blaze has since been largely contained, authorities are warning that strong winds could reignite lingering hot spots, the Greek City Times reported.

The winds could complicate firefighting efforts, the outlet said, and residents are being urged to avoid any activities that could spark fires.

Aerial vew of village on island of Paros in Greece

Known for its whitewashed villages and beaches, Paros was placed under heightened alert after a wildfire prompted precautionary evacuations.(iStock)

As firefighters battled the blaze, local officials asked residents with available space to help house emergency crews working to contain the fire.

“TheMunicipality of Paroswarmly thanks everyone who is responding in person at this difficult moment, supporting the forces that are fighting the flames.” the translated statement read.

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Known for itswhitewashed villages and beaches, as well as its high-quality Parian marble, the island attracts visitors across the world.

View of village on island of Paros in Greece

Residents and tourists were urged to follow safety guidance as officials watched for lingering hot spots on the Greek island of Paros.(iStock)

On a Reddit forum dedicated to travel in Greece, users shared concerns and firsthand accounts of evacuations as the wildfire spread across Paros.

The commenters had been staying in Aliki and Parikia, two villages on the island, as well as the nearby island of Antiparos.

“We were staying near Aliki and had to evacuate,” one person said.“Fire is pretty big now.”

View of gigantic wildfire in Thessaloniki earlier in July

Earlier this month, a major wildfire burned near Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, as record heat and dry conditions fueled dangerous fire weather.(Konstantinos Tsakalidis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“I’m in Parikia at the moment.There are currently 4 choppers helping with the [wildfire], plus ground support,” another Reddit user said.“They were filling up water right in front of the harbor and flew overhead my hotel.”

A third Reddit user said, “We’re in Antiparos now and it’s safe here.We could see the fires from our house last night.It looked really bad, but it seems like it’s almost gone now.”

The Paros wildfire comes as Europe continues to battle a severe wildfire season.

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Earlier this month, another major wildfire burnednear Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, due to record heat and dry conditions.

Greek residents viewing wildfire in Thessaloniki earlier in July

A wildfire near Thessaloniki earlier this month underscored the severe fire conditions Greece has faced during this year’s wildfire season.(Vasilis Ververidis/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Franceand Spainhave been hit by massive blazes in recent weeks, including the famed Fontainebleau Forest near Paris, where roughly 4,900 acres of woodland was burned.

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Whilerecord-breaking heathas intensified the fire danger across Europe, experts say human activity, suspected arson and land management have also contributed to the devastating wildfire season.

Simon Constable contributed reporting.