Gale force wind gusts complicated efforts on Friday to contain wildfires on Crete that have razed forests and olive groves and forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate.

A new wildfire has erupted in Greece prompting evacuations, while firefighters in Turkey pressed ahead with efforts to contain a deadly blaze west of the country

Firefighters in Turkey remained locked in a battle to contain flames tearing through forested hillsides in the west of the country on Friday, while similar wildfires in neighboring Greece were largely brought under control.