Thousands of individuals have been forced to evacuate from their homes and hotels on the Greek island of Rhodes as massive wildfires have swept through large parts of the island.
The Greek fire service has expressed apologies for the situation, acknowledging the chaotic conditions on the island and issuing a warning that the situation may deteriorate further due to weather conditions.
Over 3,500 people have been safely evacuated by both land and sea to ensure their well-being.
An additional 1,200 individuals from three villages - Pefki, Lindos, and Kalathos - are scheduled to be evacuated as well.
Thankfully, there have been no reported injuries, according to the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection in Greece.
Efforts are underway to safely evacuate tourists from the affected areas of Rhodes, which comprise less than 10% of the island's tourist accommodations, and redirect them to other hotels on the island.
Lt Col Yannis Artopoios, spokesperson for the Hellenic Fire Corps, has described these wildfires as the most challenging that the service has ever encountered.
Since Tuesday, the island has been combating the wildfires, which have been fueled by strong winds, coinciding with a challenging heatwave across Europe.
In the affected region, five helicopters and 173 firefighters were actively engaged in firefighting efforts. As a result of the fire, three hotels in the Kiotari area suffered damage, and the neighboring areas of Laerma, Lardos, and Asklipio were also impacted.
To aid in the evacuation, private boats assisted the Greek coastguard in rescuing people from the beaches on the eastern side of the island. Furthermore, Greek navy vessels were reported to be en route to the area, particularly as it is a popular destination for tourists.
Deputy fire chief Ioannis Artophios stated that a ferry has been made available to accommodate people for evacuation. Additionally, others are being housed at an indoor stadium on the island, as reported by the island's deputy mayor.
Mr. Artophios highlighted the challenges faced by firefighters on Rhodes due to its lush greenery, which is also a significant factor that attracts tourists to the island.
Greek television broadcasted images of long queues of tourists with suitcases being escorted to safety, with smoke visible in the background.
Andrea Layfield from Cheshire shared her experience with the BBC, recounting a boat trip that turned alarming. They requested to return but were told to wait on the beach, which unfortunately became a dead end with the fire approaching. Hundreds of people were seen running for safety. Eventually, a boat arrived, and she managed to get on board by squeezing under someone's legs.
Mark Cook was evacuated via speedboat from a 5-star luxury resort. He described the situation as having poor visibility, smoke inhalation, and a lack of clear directions. The winds suddenly intensified, causing the smoke to advance rapidly while they were peacefully on sun loungers with family moments before.
Despite leaving their luggage in the hotel, Mark Cook and his family decided to fly back home for safety.
Travel company TUI has reported that only a small number of its hotels were affected by the wildfires in Rhodes, and as a precaution, they are relocating customers to alternative accommodations.
Similarly, Jet2 is aware of the situation and is advising its customers to follow local guidance.
However, some tourists, like Lee Ruane from Northern Ireland, who is on his honeymoon with his wife Rosaleen, expressed feeling stranded by Jet2 as they received no further information or communication after being evacuated from their hotel.
Rhodes' deputy mayor, Konstantinos Taraslias, explained that the fire's growth and spread to tourist areas were exacerbated by a change in winds on Saturday morning.
Since the fire began in a mountainous area on Tuesday, it has ravaged extensive sections of the forest.
To aid in battling the wildfires, firefighters from Slovakia arrived on Rhodes, acknowledging the seriousness and extreme difficulty of the situation due to strong winds and rapidly changing fire direction.
Greece is facing another intense heatwave, with meteorologists warning of temperatures possibly reaching as high as 45°C (113°F), potentially making it the hottest July weekend in 50 years in the country.
Numerous wildfires continue to ravage various parts of Greece, including areas west of Athens, Laconia in the southern Peloponnese, and the island of Rhodes.
Authorities are concerned about the high risk of new blazes due to the ongoing heatwave.
To cope with the extreme heat, people have been advised to stay home, and tourist sites, including the ancient Acropolis in Athens, will be closed during the hottest parts of the next two days.
This heatwave arrives during one of the busiest periods for Greece's tourism industry. Earlier this month, the country experienced an extended spell of extreme heat, similar to some other European countries.
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