- Wildfires Devastate Rhodes: 10% of Island Consumed, Thousands Evacuated
- Greece’s Battle Against Unprecedented Wildfires Amid Rising Temperatures
- Climate Change’s Overwhelming Role in Global Heatwaves: Scientists’ Report
Temperatures have risen above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in portions of Greece, and on Rhodes, a fire continues to move inland, threatening mountainous forest areas and a nature reserve.
After wildfires burned 10% of Rhodes, many of Britons were airlifted back.
Overnight, additional flights carrying stranded vacationers landed in the United Kingdom, and more are expected throughout the day.
The Foreign Office predicted 10,000 Britons on the renowned vacation island.
A fresh evacuation notice issued
Returning tourists have described “traumatic” evacuations from hotels that were engulfed in flames.
Wildfires forced dozens of individuals to spend the weekend sleeping on beaches, sun lounges, or the streets.
Temperatures have risen above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in portions of Greece, and on Rhodes, a fire continues to move inland, threatening mountainous forest areas and a nature reserve.
Vati residents are advised to move to Lindos after a new evacuation alert.
With damp towels around their necks, desperate residents have been using shovels to fend off flames that are approaching their homes; firefighting aircraft and helicopters will resume water drops at first light.
A beach in Corfu has also been the site of sea evacuations to transport individuals escaping wildfires.
“We’re at war”
Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated, “We are at war” and are entirely focused on combating wildfires.
On Tuesday, he will review the problem with his ministers and predicts difficult days ahead, potentially improving on Thursday.
Tomorrow, large portions of the country are at the highest risk level for wildfires.
Mr. Mitsotakis cautioned, “I will state the obvious – there is no magical defense mechanism for what the entire planet faces, especially the Mediterranean, which is a climatic hotspot. If a solution existed, we would have implemented it.”
Today, scientists published a report in which they concluded that human-caused climate change played an “absolutely overwhelming” role in the recent global heatwaves.
Prosecutors on Rhodes are currently scrutinizing the cause of the fires and the preparedness and response of the authorities.
The EU has dispatched 500 firefighters, 100 vehicles, and seven aircraft from ten member states; Turkey, Israel, and Egypt have also offered assistance.
Greece’s climate minister, Vassilis Kikilias, stated that personnel are “fighting non-stop on dozens of forest fire fronts” due to 12 consecutive days of high temperatures and strong winds.
He added, “The Greek Fire Service has fought more than 500 fires or more than 50 per day.”
Housing Secretary Michael Gove told that he intends to take a vacation on the Greek island of Evia within a week, and insisted that the region is secure for tourists despite fire concerns.
On Monday, approximately 77 firefighters fought sporadic outbreaks in Evia.
Two Monday and one Tuesday EasyJet flights brought 421 Rhodes residents to the UK. This is in addition to the nine regularly scheduled flights to the island.
Jet2 had four return flights to Manchester, Bradford, and Birmingham scheduled for Monday evening, with a total of 787 seats.
This week, fifty scheduled flights will return vacationers from Rhodes to the United Kingdom. But each aircraft will depart vacant because all outbound flights and holidays have been canceled until Sunday.
Labour has suggested that the government should “rethink” its advice to Britons who have booked a trip to Rhodes.
Italy’s airport is closed due to fires.
Sicily’s Palermo airport was closed for a few hours due to a wildfire in Italy, as firefighters battled a significant blaze in a nearby area that also disrupted local road and rail traffic.
The incident exacerbated Sicily’s travel woes during the height of its tourist season. On Monday, temperatures on parts of the island reached 47.6C (117.7F), which is near to the record European high of 48.8C (120F) recorded there two years ago.
Italy has issued red alerts for 16 cities due to the elevated temperatures.
In Milan, a typhoon ripped off roofs and uprooted trees, blocking roads and disrupting transportation.
Delta’s Milan-to-New York flight had to land in Rome after a hailstorm damaged the nose and fuselage.
On Monday and Tuesday, falling trees killed two ladies in Monza and Brescia, northern Italy.
Algerian fires have caused fatalities.
In Algeria, wildfires have killed 34 people, including 10 soldiers attempting to control the blazes despite high winds and scorching summer temperatures.
There have been at least 1,500 evacuations there.
