Wildfires Are Blazing Through Greece’s Rhodes As An Intense Heatwave Scorches Through Europe
Authorities have said they expect worse fires in August as temperatures to rise up to 45 degrees Celsius in the coming days.
Dry weather and a heatwave in Europe have sparked numerous wildfires that have raged across Greece, damaging homes and causing thousands to flee.
The wildfires, which began on Monday July 17, have affected people in and around Greece’s capital Athens.
Additionally, residents of Rhodes, an island known for its beach resorts and tourist attractions, were forced to evacuate as fires approached the center of the island.
On Tuesday, 1,200 children at a summer camp in the coastal town of Loutraki were evacuated as the fires approached their camp.
One fire in northwest Athens’ Dervenochoria region has been so severe that it can be seen on satellite images.
“We are living a nightmare,” the mayor of Mandra in the Dervenochoria region told Open TV.
Video footage showed flames engulfing trees as water bombers fly overhead attempting to contain the raging blaze.
Greek authorities have requested European Union assistance, and about 220 international firefighters from France, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Malta have joined the effort.
People who have lost their homes will be compensated and will be able to stay in hotels, according to the Greek government.
On Thursday, the wildfires subsided, but rising temperatures pose a threat of further wildfires.
Authorities have said they expect worse fires in August as temperatures to rise up to 45 degrees Celsius in the coming days.
“This summer has proven much more difficult than previous years. I believe even worse things are coming in August with heat and fire. We are extremely tired, but we continue,” a Greek firefighter told ABC News.
Fires are common in Greece, but hotter and drier summers have turned the Mediterranean into a wildfire hotspot in recent years.
With reporting from Reuters.
