Plane fighting wildfires in Evia crashes
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Rhodes and Corfu are bracing for at least another 48 hours of wildfire hell as temperatures throughout southern Europe are expected to peak on Wednesday.
The Greek prime minister warned on Tuesday of tough days ahead, with conditions possibly improving after Thursday.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis told ministers: “All of us are standing guard. In the face of what the entire planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean which is a climate change hot-spot, there is no magical defence mechanism.”
The Greek Fire Brigade has already been battling more than 500 fires for almost two weeks, while the high temperatures of the recent new heatwave are set to peak throughout Europe on Wednesday, exceeding 44C in some areas of Greece.
A blaze in Rhodes prompted “the biggest evacuation” in Greek history, with over 20,000 people forced to flee homes and hotels over the weekend, while around 2,500 people have already been evacuated from Corfu, which has been enduring dozens of blazes.
Meanwhile, Croatia, Portugal, Turkey and France are among the other European countries that have been battling wildfires in recent days, while the extreme weather conditions on the continent are being mirrored globally, from the US to Asia.
At least 48 hours more of wildfire hell, Greek PM warns
The Greek Prime Minister has warned of at least 48 hours more of wildfire hell throughout the country, as temperatures are set to hit their peak on Wednesday.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis told ministers on Tuesday the next few days would be difficult but that conditions could possibly improve after Thursday.
"All of us are standing guard," he said. "In the face of what the entire planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean which is a climate change hot-spot, there is no magical defence mechanism."
The high temperatures in Greece are set to rise through Wednesday to exceed 44C in some areas, with Rhodes and Corfu experiencing some of the worst of the extreme weather.
The Greek Prime Minister has warned of at least 48 hours more of wildfire hell throughout the country, as temperatures are set to hit their peak on Wednesday
Evacuation from Rhodes was ‘hell’, say family from Northern Ireland
A family from Northern Ireland evacuated due to the wildfires in Rhodes have said it was “hell” trying to get home from the Greek island.
Conor and Danielle Cullen took a holiday to Rhodes in Greece with their two daughters, Chloe, 13, and Molly, 11.
The family experienced a “brutal” several days trying to return to their home in Co Tyrone after being evacuated from their hotel with only one small backpack of their belongings.
They had to face a boat journey in the dark, emergency accommodation and trying to arrange travel back to Belfast with little information.
After being evacuated from their hotel to a beach 4-5 miles away, Mr and Mrs Cullen said thousands gathered to await boats in the dark.
Mr Cullen said once the boat started to allow people on it was a “free-for-all”. Mrs Cullen added: “We’re pulling the kids, the kids are pulling us, everybody’s just pulling on each other. And it was just panic.”
She said there were around 50 people on the boat in silence for almost three hours, with no life jackets.
“We did not know where we were at when we were getting off,” she said. “I actually asked the man were we still in Rhodes. Because everything was black, you did not know. We’re on the water, we can’t see nothing, it was just hell.”
In pictures: Wildfires raging in Greece
A firefighter looks on during a fire near the village of Vati, just north of the coastal town of Gennadi
A man reacts as a fire burns in a village on the Greek Aegean island of Rhodes
A Canadair firefighting airplane sprays water on a fire in the southern part of the Greek island of Rhodes
Two people found dead in home burned by wildfires in Sicily
Two people were found dead amid the summer wildfires in southern Italy on Tuesday.
On Sicily, two people were found dead in a home burned by a wildfire that temporarily shut down Palermo's international airport, according to Italian news reports.
Regional officials said 55 fires were active on the island, amid temperatures in the 40sC.
A wildfire burns in the Sicilian village of Romitello, near Palermo, Italy
More than 500 fires battled over two weeks in Greece, says minister
More than 500 fires have ripped through Greece over almost two weeks, a government minister has said.
"For the twelfth day, under extreme conditions of heat and strong winds, we are fighting nonstop on dozens of forest fire fronts. ... The Greek Fire Service has battled more than 500 fires — more than 50 a day," said Vassilis Kikilias, the minister for climate crisis and civil protection.
A wearing breathing protection man reacts as a fire burns into the village of Gennadi on the Greek Aegean island of Rhodes
Where are the fires in Corfu and Rhodes? Map reveals Greece wildfires
Thousands of people have been evacuated from towns and villages across Greece after wildfires ravaged the country.
Videos of roaring fires and towering black smoke have circulated online from Rhodes and Corfu. However, wildfires have erupted across several areas including Evia and the Peloponnese region.
Firefighters battled against 82 wildfires across the country overnight, forcing the “biggest evacuation” in the country’s history.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain has more.
Wildfire burns metres away from cars driving on Italy highway
A video shared on 25 July shows a wall of flames lashing over the edge of a highway and threatening motorists near Priolo Gargallo, in the province of Syracuse, on Sicily’s east coast.
Dozens of wildfires are raging across the Italian island, prompting evacuations and the temporary closure of the airport in Sicily’s capital, Palermo.
Watch here.
Wildfire burns metres away from cars driving on Italy highway
A video shared on 25 July shows a wall of flames lashing over the edge of a highway and threatening motorists near Priolo Gargallo, in the province of Syracuse, on Sicily’s east coast. Dozens of wildfires are raging across the Italian island, prompting evacuations and the temporary closure of the airport in Sicily’s capital, Palermo. The country’s Department of Civil Protection on Tuesday reported its air fleet was continuing to battle multiple fires in the region. They said pilots would be out for as long as possible, though strong winds were proving a challenge.
Italian airport limits flights after wildfires force temporary closure
The Palermo Airport in Italy is limiting the number of flights departing after raging wildfires forced the airport to announce a temporary closure on Monday.
The blaze started above the town of Cinisi before reaching the edge of the airport, forcing it to shut operations until 10am BST yesterday.
The airport has reopened its operations, but warned that limited flights would be departing due to weather conditions being monitored.
“The airport in Palermo has reopened: at the moment only a limited number of departing flights will be allowed. For arrivals, weather conditions are being monitored,” the airport authorities tweeted.
A ‘miracle’ no lives have been lost in Rhodes, volunteer says
It is “a miracle” that no lives have so far been lost in Rhodes, where civilians have fought tirelessly against wildfires for seven days, a volunteer has said.
Speaking to The Independent from an evacuation centre in Rhodes late on Tuesday night, Sofia, a 35-year-old volunteer from the north of the island praised the “huge” effort of those who have mobilised to help stranded tourists and to battle against the fires in the south.
At that centre alone, around 150 people have signed up to help, she said. “Everyone [wants to help], especially young kids.”
Pointing to a fellow volunteer, she added: “Look at this kid. He is here every morning from 8 o’clock. He won’t leave. And there’s other kids in the van across the street just waiting here, they won’t go away.”
Praising civilians for driving the evacuation efforts, she said: “The civilians brought their boats and their cars and dropped people here in safety. And the volunteer civilians are in the first line of the front at the fire. They are digging holes, they are cutting trees.”
“There are hundreds” of civilians battling the fires, she said. “They haven’t slept in seven days, and they’re all young people. All my friends are there right now. It’s a miracle that there [has not been] a loss. Up until now, [when] two pilots were killed today.”
A wildfire burns in Gennadi village, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes, southeastern Greece, on Tuesday
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2023-07-26 07:32:50Z
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