Wildfires on the Greek Island of Rhodes have escalated, reaching the coast and prompting the evacuation of 30,000 residents and tourists. The fires, which started five days ago, continue to spread uncontrollably, and authorities warn that more outbreaks may occur. The urgency of the situation led to tourists leaving their belongings at hotels and seeking refuge elsewhere. Rhodes, renowned for its picturesque beaches and historical sites, attracts many visitors each year. Witnesses describe the chaos and fear as flames descended toward the beach, forcing a hasty evacuation. The scale of the evacuation is unprecedented for the island, and those affected have sought shelter in alternative accommodations. The fires, initially confined to the inland mountainous regions, rapidly spread due to a change in wind direction. This incident represents one of the largest wildfires Greece has faced in recent years. Efforts to extinguish the blaze involve 200 firefighters and five helicopters, with additional assistance provided by Slovakia. However, the hot and dry weather has hindered containment efforts, leaving authorities to declare the fire “out of control.” The severity of the situation is evidenced by the adjustment of operating hours for tourist attractions, including the renowned Acropolis, and the urging of residents to remain at home. Meteorologists predict the wildfires will persist until next week, as Greece experiences an unprecedented heatwave with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
Smoke from a forest fire billows into a fog on a beach on the island of Rhodes, Greece. / AP Yonhap News
Wildfires that started five days ago on the island of Rhodes in Greece have spread to the coast, forcing 30,000 residents and tourists to leave. There were also tourists who left their bags at the hotel and went out. The wildfires are out of control and more outbreaks are possible, local authorities say.
According to foreign media such as AFP and the BBC, on the 22nd (local time), residents and tourists who fled in a hurry formed a long line on the beach near Kiotari and Rados on the island of Rhodes after hearing the evacuation order from the authorities. Rhodes is one of the representative tourist destinations in Greece, famous for its beautiful beaches and historical sites of high archaeological value, such as monumental sculptures dating back to the 4th century BC.
British tourist Andrea Layfield said, “I was waiting on the beach for a lifeboat, and the flames were coming down to the beach. “The beach was a dead end and hundreds of people were running,” he told the BBC. Another tourist, Mark Cook, said, “The wind suddenly became strong, and ash fell and smoke rolled into the five-star hotel (away from the fire).”
Residents and tourists wait to board lifeboats after an emergency evacuation order was issued in some villages on the Greek island of Rhodes on the 22nd (local time)./AP Yonhap News
Thousands of people have been evacuated from homes and hotels on the island of Rhodes, according to the Greek fire service. pic.twitter.com/cx5d1vdUPJ
— Project TABS (@ProjectTabs) July 23, 2023
About 2,000 people were evacuated with the help of four Coast Guard vessels and more than 30 civilian vessels, said Yannis Artofios, a spokesman for the local fire department. On the island of Rhodes, 30,000 people have been evacuated to safety so far. “Something unprecedented has happened on the island,” said a local council official. Refugees stay in hotels, rented houses and schools on the northern part of the island or on other, safer islands.
The wildfires started on Rhodes Island on the 18th. The forest fire, which started in the inland mountainous areas of the central and southern parts of the country, quickly spread to the tourist area several kilometers to the east as the wind changed this morning. It is one of the biggest wildfires to hit Greece in recent years.
Five helicopters and 200 firefighters are mobilizing to put out the fire. Reinforcements from Slovakia were also given to the evolution work. However, the fire has not been extinguished due to the hot, dry weather. Local authorities say the fire is “out of control”.
Wildfires are burning out of control on a Greek island #Rhodes
People waiting for the boat to leave the island as soon as possible.#Fire #Laerma #rose? fire #Rodu #Rhodes #rhodes fires #Fire #Greece #FiresGwladGwlad pic.twitter.com/4QfpIFL0sw— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) July 23, 2023
#Greece Paradise Tour is on fire, literally!
Wildfires Out of Control 🔥 fueled by scorching hot weather and strong winds forcing boats to evacuate #Rhodes island in the middle of what is predicted to be Greece’s hottest July weekend in 50 years#fire #Wildfire #Greece # hot weather… pic.twitter.com/tBhlwC356z— Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) July 22, 2023
Wildfires are expected to increase. Forest fires are growing out of control in Laerma in central Rhodes and Lardos in eastern Rhodes, and houses, cathedrals and hotels have been burnt. Ancient ruins in south Lindos are also threatened by forest fires. Meteorologists predicted the wildfires would last until at least next Friday.
The situation in other parts of Greece is similar. All of Southern Europe, including Greece, has been trapped in a heat dome since last week, with high temperatures of over 40 degrees every day. “It seems that we will have to endure 15 to 16 days of heat waves,” said Lagubardos Konstandinos, director of research at the National Astronomical Observatory in Athens. “This has never happened before in Greece.” The BBC said that meteorologists are predicting that the temperature in Greece will rise to 45 degrees this weekend, and that the hottest July weekend in 50 years could come.
Greek authorities have urged residents to stay at home, with 79 wildfires burning and the possibility of more fires. The operating hours of tourist attractions, including the Acropolis, have also been adjusted.
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