The Greek Island of Rhodes is facing a devastating wildfire that continues to rage out of control, with nearly 30,000 people evacuated and high winds forecasted for Sunday, posing further challenges for firefighters battling the blaze. The wildfire, which has been burning for nearly a week, has been exacerbated by an extended period of extreme heat that has made containment efforts difficult.
Local officials on Rhodes have been working tirelessly to evacuate those in harm’s way, successfully moving 30,000 people, including more than 2,500 who were rescued from beaches. However, the threat persists, as fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyiannis warns that the winds are expected to intensify from 12 to 5 pm, with the possibility of earlier escalation.
During the night, the fires reached the village of Laerma, causing significant damage to houses and a church. Additionally, numerous hotels were affected as the flames reached the sea in some instances.
The island of Rhodes, a popular tourist destination, faces an unprecedented challenge during the peak of the tourism season. Authorities have cautioned that the fight to contain the wildfire will likely extend for several days. Yannis Artopoios, another fire brigade spokesman, revealed that the primary fronts of the fire were located in areas south of the village of Apollon.
Thousands of people, both locals and tourists, were evacuated from at least six villages. The Greek foreign ministry activated its crisis management unit in Athens to facilitate the evacuation of foreign citizens affected by the forest fires in the region.
Tourists and some locals sought refuge in gyms, schools, and hotel conference centres on the island while firefighters continued their relentless efforts to combat the blaze. To accommodate those rescued, three passenger ferries have been moored at the port of Rhodes.
“It is an unprecedented situation for the island,” said Panagiotis Dimelis, head of the Archangelos village council, emphasising the sense of urgency and community support during this crisis.
As the evacuation alert sounded, tourists swiftly headed for the beach, pulling their suitcases behind them to escape the advancing wildfire.
The situation is further complicated by a widespread power outage, with a significant part of the island left without electricity as a safety measure, following the shutdown of the local power plant by the public power utility PPC.
Over 200 firefighters have been tirelessly battling the blaze during the night, and air support is set to resume early on Sunday in their relentless pursuit to control the wildfire and protect lives and properties.
