KORINITH, Greece – Wildfires that have been a summer phenomenon in Greece but one near a Peloponnesian resort in the prefecture of Corinth on Oct. 1 was burning out of  control for a third day despite the efforts of firefighters.

Two people were killed during the blaze, a couple who reportedly drove their motorcycle toward the blaze to try to help a friend save his sheep before the victims were overtaken by the speed of the flames.

The fire is near the resort of Xylokastro where a large front was extinguished near the town that’s on the Gulf of Corinth and so massive that more than 400 firefighters were deployed trying to put it out.

Residents in some areas near the fire were told to leave and traffic was diverted on the Corinth-Patra highway after being closed in parts for the first two days. The fire was being driven by heavy winds.

The deputy spokesperson for the Fire Service, told MEGA TV that, “This summer was quite difficult. These are the results. We’ve had a lot of drought, and now fires can easily spread. When the fire started, we had winds of 7-8 on the Beaufort scale, and the area didn’t have the moisture it usually has,” he said.