Greece wildfires: These areas are highly affected in the country, see data

• More than 30,000 people have been evacuated, especially from Rhodes, Corfu and Euboea, where thousands of tourists are stranded.
• The EasyJet company has already begun to repatriate British tourists, sending transport planes.
• The firefighters ask the residents of a Barcelona urbanization to confine themselves due to a forest fire.

Greece and its islands continue to burn out of control due to wildfire. Thousands of firefighters work to extinguish the 63 fires declared throughout the country, which have forced the evacuation of more than 30,000 people on the islands of Rhodes -the hardest hit for more than a week-, Corfu and Euboea.

The fires come amid a heat wave that is suffocating the country with temperatures reaching 46.4 degrees in some areas, the highest temperature ever recorded in the country. The extreme heat is expected to continue until Thursday when a significant drop in temperature of between 5 and 7 degrees is expected, the National Weather Service reported Monday.

The Associated Press reports that local police cited the evacuation of 16,000 people from Rhodes by land and 3,000 by sea from 12 villages and several hotels. The hospital treated six people for respiratory problems.

Authorities evacuated at least 2,400 visitors and locals from Corfu overnight on Sunday as a precaution, according to AFP.

A heatwave has been battled by the country, one of many in Europe, since mid-July, with temperatures climbing above 104 degrees Fahrenheit on some islands. In the past week, scores of wildfires have broken out across Greece, stoked by dry conditions and possibly arson, as claimed by some Corfu officials.

The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, issued a grave warning about the ongoing wildfires in the country, stating that at least 48 more hours of extreme fire conditions are expected. Temperatures are set to peak on Wednesday, adding further challenges to the firefighting efforts.

During a ministerial meeting on Tuesday, Mitsotakis acknowledged the difficult days ahead but expressed hope that conditions might improve after Thursday. He emphasized the severity of the situation and the vulnerability of the Mediterranean, which is a climate change hot-spot, facing the same challenges as the rest of the planet.

The forecast indicates that high temperatures will continue to soar, with some areas projected to exceed 44°C on Wednesday. Rhodes and Corfu are among the regions experiencing the worst of this extreme weather, putting immense strain on firefighting teams and resources. The situation remains critical, and authorities are closely monitoring developments to combat the wildfires and ensure the safety of the population.

Evacuations on the rise in Rhodes

The worst is concentrated on the island of Rhodes, where dramatic scenes take place daily, with the largest evacuation due to fire in the country's history: some 30,000 people, including more than 15,000 tourists. The Greek Emergency Corps warns of a new evacuation in Kalathos, the seventh town on the island that has been vacated due to the advance of the fire.

The town of Malonas has also been evacuated, with hundreds of volunteers and troops working to prevent the flames from reaching those evacuated towns. "We are in a war with fires," the Greek Prime Minister, the conservative Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said Monday in Parliament, stressing that in the face of the "fury" of nature "no measure will be enough."

Local media report that the conditions in which the battle is being fought are extremely difficult, with hurricane-force winds blowing in the area, and that fire planes and helicopters continue to participate in the extinguishing battle, even after sunset.

According to images released by the Greek media, many tourists are stranded at the island's airport. Those affected who are not there remain housed in sports halls, municipal structures and hotel convention centres.

The fire has so far burned more than 14,000 hectares of virgin forest, as well as several houses and some hotels, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). The Greek government announces that since Sunday 1,489 people have been able to leave Rhodes on flights to the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy.

Which islands were affected?

The fires have hit Rhodes, the island where 19,000 people have been evacuated. With the fires burning on Rhodes, Corfu and Evia at the moment, there are concerns as to which other islands might be affected.

However, the Greek islands span vast expanses of water. For example, Zakynthos, home to the party area of Zante, is over 400 miles from Rhodes, where the fiercest fires burn.

The fire in Corfu was burning along a large coastal front, and boats have now been dispatched from the area to evacuate residents by sea. The fires in Evia are also in the south of the island and threaten five villages in particular: Livadi, Potami, Pernaraki, Platanistos and Kastro.

How bad are the fires this year?

A devastating heatwave fueled by carbon pollution has engulfed Europe, creating ideal conditions for roaring wildfires to spread through Greece. Thick clouds of choking smoke have blanketed the country, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate to safety.

The extent of land consumed by the wildfires, as of 23rd July, far exceeds the average for the past 16 years, highlighting the severity of the situation. The scorching temperatures and dry conditions have transformed Europe into a tinderbox, igniting and intensifying the flames, leading to catastrophic consequences for the affected regions.

EasyJet repatriates British tourists

The low-cost airline EasyJet has indicated that it will begin to repatriate British tourists this Monday, sending transport planes. According to the British government, in Rhodes, there are between 7,000 and 10,000 tourists from that country at the moment, although not all of them are in the area affected by the fires.

The Czech government, which speaks of "several thousand" tourists from that Central European country on the island, is also preparing to send two large transport planes in case of the need to evacuate its compatriots.

Meanwhile, the German travel agency TUI announced on Monday that it will send six empty charter flights to the island to repatriate British and Germans, local media reports.

The Euboea fire leaves a missing person

On the island of Euboea, northeast of Athens, another fire is out of control around the coastal town of Karistos and one person, a herdsman, is missing. The flames forced the evacuation of nine towns and reached the town of Platanistós and Potami, where several houses have been burned, according to regional authorities.

So far, nine towns have been evacuated, while the fire is difficult to contain since strong winds blow in the area. "We hope to have a calm in the winds so that we can, with the ground forces, limit the extent of the disaster," underlines the regional governor. Greek media assure that the fronts of this forest fire are already close to 10 kilometres.

Neighbours, against the flames in Corfu

On the other hand, the situation on the island of Corfu (northwest), which had improved significantly during the morning of this Monday, suffered new revivals since the afternoon, with 18 towns evacuated and at least 2,500 people affected.

Among the evacuees were 2,000 tourists, who on Monday were able to return to the hotels where they are staying on the northeast coast of Corfu. There, some 60 firefighters, with 21 vehicles, 2 helicopters and 2 tanker planes are fighting to contain the fire, after the evacuation of 18 towns.

Despite the evictions, the fire in Corfu has not yet damaged residential areas. According to the Greek daily Kathimerini, along with firefighters, civil protection men from the municipality of North Corfu, residents and volunteers are fighting the flames.

Another hundred troops also fight against a fourth fire on the Peloponnese peninsula, near the town of Agios, which forced the evacuation of several nearby towns yesterday and interrupted traffic on local roads.

Where are the fires in Corfu and Rhodes?

Wildfires ravaged the country, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and villages across Greece.

Online videos from Rhodes and Corfu have circulated, showing roaring fires and towering black smoke. However, several areas including Evia and the Peloponnese region have experienced erupting wildfires.

How can people stay safe?

To ensure safety during wildfires, individuals should avoid areas with active fires if possible and take precautions against smoke exposure, such as closing windows and staying indoors.

While regular COVID-19 masks may not effectively filter out PM2.5 particles found in smoke, well-fitted N95 respirator masks can offer some protection.

The Red Cross advises people to be prepared for quick evacuations and to familiarize themselves with the community's response plan.

Governments play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of hot weather and wildfires by reducing carbon pollution. Additionally, funding for firefighters, doctors, and nurses is essential to address the immediate effects of wildfires on public health.

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