Greece fires – live: Nine European nations battle blazes as Met Office warns UK could be next

More than 40 people have been killed in Europe as wildfires engulfed more swaths of land on Wednesday, destroying homes and livelihoods and threatening nature reserves amid one of the fiercest heatwaves ever.

Thousands of firefighters worked to contain the blazes in parts of Greece and eight other Mediterranean countries, and the entire island of Rhodes was put into a state of emergency for six months.

High temperatures and winds have created a “perfect storm” to allow the fires to spread in Portugal, Turkey, Italy, France, Croatia and Spain.

Temperatures are expected to peak on Wednesday, exceeding 44C in some areas of Greece.

A blaze in Rhodes prompted “the biggest evacuation” in Greek history, with more than 20,000 people forced to flee homes and hotels over the weekend, while around 2,500 people have already been evacuated from Corfu.

Meanwhile, in its annual State of the UK Climate report, the Met Office warned temperatures higher than 40C, summer droughts, grassfires and downpours will increase in both frequency and severity.

Key Points

• At least 48 hours more of wildfire hell, Greek PM warns

• UK Met Office warns temperature higher than 40C will be frequent in future

• UK advises people visiting Greece to carry ‘appropriate insurance’

• Firefighters scramble to put out wildfire in Portugal

• Plane fighting wildfires in Greece has crashed

• Around 2,500 people evacuated from Corfu

• Almost 100 firefighters tackle wildfire in Croatia

Nine countries burn across Europe and North Africa

Wednesday 26 July 2023 12:25 , Jane Dalton

Wildfires are burning in at least nine countries across southern Europe and North Africa, with thousands of firefighters working to contain the blazes.

At least seven people have been killed in Italy as it battled both extreme heat and violent storms. In the north, Milan residents reported torrential rain and hail with a 16-year-old girl killed after a tree fell on her tent. Meanwhile in the south, the heatwave reached 47.6C with three people found dead in Sicily.

In Greece, authorities have evacuated more than 20,000 from homes and resorts in Rhodes, while 2,500 have been evacuated in Corfu. Two pilots died when their plane crashed into the hillside in Evia, while the Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country was “at war” with fire.

Nearly 100 firefighters have worked to contain a wildfire close to Nice airport in France, while 300 firefighters battled fires near the city of Arles.

Local media reported that winds were so strong in Croatia that firefighting aircraft could not take off, while wildfires have been reported in the south of the country.

Fires in Spain continue to pose a problem following two weeks of extreme hear, with a blaze in Gran Canaria reaching just metres from an air traffic antannae and prompting the evacuation of hundreds.

Wind has also caused issues in Portugal as firefighters tackle a large blaze near the tourist hotspot of Cascais, with water-bombing planes used to reduce the spread.

Meanwhile in North Africa, at least 34 people have been killed in Algeria, with fires burning in a total of 15 provinces and 1,500 people evacuated from their homes. Among those killed were 10 soldiers who became trapped by flames.

Strong winds have resulted in fires spreading to neighbouring Tunisia, with two border crossings closed in an attempt to contain the blaze.

UK Met Office warns temperature higher than 40C will be frequent in future

04:21 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

In its annual State of the UK Climate report, the Met Office analysed the weather of 2022 and warned temperatures higher than 40C, summer droughts, grassfires and downpours will increase in both frequency and severity.

A severe heatwave gripped the country last summer, as a new temperature record was set (40.3C) and numerous wildfires were reported across Britain. More than 3,000 heat-related deaths were recorded in England and Wales during five “heat periods” between June and August 2022, according to a joint report by the Office of National Statistics and the UK Health Security Agency.

While 2022 was an “extraordinary” year for the UK in terms of weather and climate, the Met Office said these conditions “are a potential warning of what we should expect in the future” as a result of human-caused climate change.

Maanya Sachdeva has more.

UK’s 40C summer of 2022 ‘will seem cool’ as climate crisis worsens, Met Office warns

We refuse to cancel, say tourists flying into Greek inferno

04:00 , Jane Dalton

British tourists on an easyJet flight to Rhodes have said they refuse to let wildfires ruin their holiday – despite thousands of others heading back home from “holiday hell”. Andy Gregory reports:

Tourists flying into Greece inferno reveal why they refuse to cancel holiday

Wildfires and climate change: the link

03:00 , Jane Dalton

Local authorities in Greece have suggested at least some of the wildfires could have been the work of arsonists.

But climate science and fire-risk specialists say it’s undeniable that rising temperatures and prolonged heatwaves mean the fires in the Mediterranean country have spread faster and burned over larger areas:

Are Greece wildfires caused by climate change?

Tourist recalls how Greeks saved her family

02:00 , Jane Dalton

A tourist broke down in tears as she detailed how she and her family managed to escape the Rhodes wildfires with the help of locals.

“It was so awful, it was like Dante’s Inferno,” LBC caller Jane, from Preston, explained.

Tourist breaks down detailing how Greek locals saved her family from wildfires

Italy announces support for businesses hit by heatwave

Thursday 27 July 2023 00:56 , Jane Dalton

Italy has announced measures to help families and businesses hit by extreme climate events, as the country reels from a heatwave in the south and fierce storms in the north.

Giorgia Meloni’s administration approved a decree to help construction and agricultural firms keep staff at home in areas with very high temperatures.

The decree allows building and farming companies, both severely hit by the heatwave because their workers cannot work from home, to use the instrument without the hours being counted in the overall limits.

“The measure will be valid for this year,” labour minister Marina Calderone said.

The heatwave over most of the south took a particularly heavy toll on the island of Sicily, which was devastated by wildfires that killed three people.

Catania, below Mount Etna in eastern Sicily, has been hit by power and water supply cuts that officials blamed in part on the heat.

More than 40 people killed as wildfires rage in nine countries

Wednesday 26 July 2023 23:51 , Jane Dalton

More than 40 people have been killed in wildfires that have engulfed swaths of land in nine Mediterranean countries, destroying homes and livelihoods and threatening forests, amid one of the world’s fiercest heatwaves:

More than 40 people die as wildfires rage in nine countries in record heatwave

Greek fires release record greenhouse gases

Wednesday 26 July 2023 22:44 , Jane Dalton

Greek wildfires released a record 1 megaton of carbon emissions between 1 and 25 July, the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) says.

That was nearly double the previous record, set in July 2007.

Carbon emissions accelerate the climate crisis, which scientists say has intensified the heatwaves.

Tourist beach left in charred ruins

Wednesday 26 July 2023 21:36 , Jane Dalton

Just last week, Glistra Beach played host to tourists no doubt enchanted by its rugged charm and surrounding shrub land, writes Andy Gregory.

But visited by The Independent as the sun set on the ninth day of wildfires that have torn through parts of Rhodes, nearly all evidence of human activity on Glistra had been reduced to charcoal and scorched metal.

The burnt wreck of a bar commanded the view over the small bay, with crumpled wrought iron forming a twisted and stunted structure littered with debris.

While just a few miles to the north, tourists lounged on untouched Lindos beach, the smoke from fires still raging near Gennadi to the south lay thick in the air, casting a heavy red haze as the sun went down on firefighters and civilians doing their best to quell the persistent flames.

Greece tries to salvage tourism

Wednesday 26 July 2023 20:36 , Jane Dalton

The Greek government has sought to contain damage to the reputation of one of its crucial revenue earners, tourism.

Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni stressed that wildfires had affected only a small part of the island.

“We have contacted the chamber of hoteliers and we want to see how we can bring people with holiday vouchers back,” she told Open television.

Greece is heavily reliant on its sea and sun tourist trade and Rhodes, one of its largest Aegean islands, is among its top destinations, attracting about 1.5 million foreign visitors in the summer months.

Around 3,000 holidaymakers had left Rhodes to return home by plane by Tuesday, while tour operators cancelled upcoming trips. TUI dropped flights to Rhodes until Friday.

Winds fuel fires in Rhodes as state of emergency declared

Wednesday 26 July 2023 20:00 , Jane Dalton

Firefighters and civilians in Rhodes are contending with continuous flare-ups fuelled by unpredictable winds, as temperatures neared a scorching 40C, writes Andy Gregory on the island:

Winds fuel fire flare-ups in Rhodes as state of emergency declared across island

Lizard laps up water from good Samaritan after Turkish wildfires

Wednesday 26 July 2023 19:25 , Jane Dalton

Watch: This is the heartwarming moment a good Samaritan gives water to a thirsty after the devastating wildfires left a Turkish forest in ashes.

Good Samaritan gives water to thirsty lizard after devastating Turkey wildfire

Transport help for people returning from Greek holidays

Wednesday 26 July 2023 18:50 , Jane Dalton

TransPennine Express, the intercity operator for the north of England and southern Scotland, has joined National Express in offering free travel to customers returning home from Greek wildfires.

“Customers should present their stamped passport and airline boarding pass confirming travel from the islands as proof of returning from the disruption,” the company says.

The company is also offering refunds on pre-purchased rail fares to passengers who have booked travel to Greece and have had their flights cancelled or no longer wish to travel.

When will heatwave in Europe end?

Wednesday 26 July 2023 18:14 , Jane Dalton

Southern European countries suffering under a sizzling heatwave for weeks can finally hope for some respite as a new forecast reveals “subtle changes in the jet stream” that are expected to bring temperatures down:

When will heatwave in Europe end? New forecast shows relief in sight

Fleeing holidaymakers all back in UK, says travel firm

Wednesday 26 July 2023 17:45 , Jane Dalton

Travel firm Thomas Cook says all its customers that had to flee their hotels at the weekend have now returned to the UK.

It said: “As normal tourism resumes across most of the island, we are also conscious that some of our customers do have some concerns about continuing with their original holiday plans. We are extending our offer to amend or refund customers who are due to depart up to and including Friday 28th July. We expect to reach a decision for the coming days in the next 24 hours.”

Why no Foreign Office warnings against travel?

Wednesday 26 July 2023 17:15 , Jane Dalton

In his daily travel podcast, The Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles the increasing calls for the Foreign Office to warn against travel to Rhodes because of the wildfires.

When the FCDO make such an assessment, holiday companies are required to repatriate their customers and not to send any more travellers out.

Calder says: “The Foreign Office lost the plot and trashed the reputation of its travel advice during the Covid pandemic – when Portugal was classed as having the same degree of risk as the Afghan capital, Kabul, and parts of Somalia.

“After such misjudgments, it is not surprising that some holidaymakers who are now reluctant to travel see the prospect of a FCDO ‘no-go’ decision as a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card.

“But such a rating should be reserved for real high-risk locations. Rhodes continues to be a good holiday destination, and now the bargain destination of the summer.”

July 26th - A note of caution for the Foreign Office's response to this summer's wildfires | Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Hundreds of hectares of forest burned in Gran Canaria

Wednesday 26 July 2023 16:55 , Jane Dalton

A forest fire in El Cortijo de las Huertas, in Tejeda, Gran Canaria, Spain, burned some 300 hectares.

EU plans to buy firefighting planes

Wednesday 26 July 2023 16:18 , Jane Dalton

The European Union wants to sign contracts this year for up to 12 firefighting planes, the first it would fully own, to improve its ability to fight blazes fuelled by climate change, the bloc’s head of crisis management said.

The EU doubled its existing reserve fleet of firefighting aircraft in the past year, after devastating fires last summer in southern Europe exhausted its previous 13-craft capacity.

That fleet comprises 28 aircraft, which the EU pays to lease from EU countries’ own fleets or the market, to form a bloc-wide buffer during the wildfire season. That doubling of numbers is expected to cost 23 million euros, the commission said.

But as climate change increases the risk of severe blazes, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said Brussels wanted contracts signed this year to buy 12 EU-owned craft, plus another 12 to bolster countries’ own national fleets.

“We could have the first planes delivered two years later. And the whole fleet would be there by the end of the decade,” Mr Lenarcic told Reuters.

Manufacturer De Havilland Canada has agreed to re-launch production of the so-called “Canadair” aircraft, if the EU orders are placed, he said.

Six member states would sign the contracts: Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The EU would finance the purchase of the 12 planes for its own fleet, while member states would pay for their own.

We have neither energy nor power, say volunteer firefighters

Wednesday 26 July 2023 16:00 , Jane Dalton

Volunteer firefighters battling blazes night after night for nine days on Rhodes have spoken of their exhaustion as fires continued to flare up, writes Andy Gregory on the island.

In the town of Malonas, which was evacuated on Saturday, The Independent watched on alongside exhausted volunteers as a section of the charred forest nearby reignited.

The handful of volunteers gathered outside St George’s Church stood up to watch as a firefighting plane flew overhead, dousing the flames in water – as smoke continued to rise skywards.

They expected to venture out again alongside hundreds, if not thousands, of other civilians on Wednesday night to do what they could to keep the fires at bay – having fought back the flames just the night before, as they encroached on the sleepy inland town.

“We have no energy, we have no power – not enough to stop this ... We are waiting for the wind to calm down to try again tonight to finish the job, but it is very difficult because after 10 days everyone is very tired,” a volunteer named Panos said, adding: “I’m going to sleep now for one hour.”

Greek blazes ‘less severe’

Wednesday 26 July 2023 15:45 , Jane Dalton

Wildfires raging across Greece for more than a week had abated, a fire brigade official said earlier.

Firefighters are still battling on several fronts to contain blazes that have killed three people and caused thousands of tourists to flee.

On the island of Rhodes, where more than 20,000 foreign visitors and locals fled hotels and homes over the weekend, dozens of firefighters are still trying to tame a front close to a mountainous area in the south.

“Wildfires across Greece have abated, but firefighters are still operating at different spots,” an official told Reuters.

On Rhodes, “the fire is more intense close to the village of Vati, which is hard to reach, but no settlements are at risk,” another fire official said.

The Greek government has sought to contain damage to the reputation of one of its key revenue earners.

Fire threatens to engulf moving cars

Wednesday 26 July 2023 15:25 , Jane Dalton

Flames threatened to engulf cars travelling along a main road in Sicily, terrifying drivers and passengers, as this video footage shows:

Rhodes blazes have started again – fire official

Wednesday 26 July 2023 15:00 , Jane Dalton

Firefighters have been mobilised to the Rhodes village of Apollona, while fires also burned further south in Vati and Gennadi, writes reporter Andy Gregory, who is on the island.

“The fires have started again,” a fire service official told The Independent. “A little wind and the fire returns … That’s the problem.”

Speaking to The Independent in the town of Malonas, as the skies remained clear shortly before a fresh plume of smoke was spotted a short distance away, one resident described a “pattern” of flare-ups in recent days.

Miles, a 56-year-old artist from England who has lived on Rhodes for 17 years, said: “Clear in the morning. By the afternoon, the sky’s gone dark ... there’s smoke everywhere, and you can see it for miles.

“That’s why the helicopters are flying over now, they’re damping down near the edges to try and make sure it doesn’t come back,” he added.

State of emergency extended across all of Rhodes

Wednesday 26 July 2023 14:55 , Jane Dalton

Greece’s civil protection agency has extended its state of emergency to cover the entire island of Rhodes.

The measure will last for six months “to deal with emergencies and manage the consequences of catastrophic forestry fire”, civil protection minister Vasilis Papageorgiou said, according to local media.

Tragic ‘last words’ of firefighting pilots

Wednesday 26 July 2023 14:48 , Jane Dalton

The tragic last words of two heroic pilots who died fighting wildfires in Greece have been revealed:

Tragic 'last words' of hero pilots who died in plane crash fighting Greek wildfires

Tunisia and Algeria fires ‘contained’

Wednesday 26 July 2023 14:28 , Jane Dalton

Tunisian firefighters have completely contained fires that broke out in various regions, with the help of the Algerian army and firefighting planes from Spain, the Tunisian interior minister says.

Wildfires that swept across regions of Algeria, leaving at least 34 people, including 10 soldiers, dead, spread to Tunisian regions including forests.

Earlier on Wednesday, Algeria managed to contain the bush fire that had been raging in its forests, state TV said.

The fires in Tunisia forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes.

Temperatures of 49C were recorded in some cities in Tunisia this week.

Two elderly found dead in burnt home

Wednesday 26 July 2023 14:19 , Jane Dalton

The bodies of two elderly people were found in a home that had been consumed by flames near Palermo airport, on the island of Sicily, which had been closed temporarily because of the encroaching flames, according to Italian news reports.

Firefighters are battling dozens of wildfires across southern Italy as searing temperatures continue to scorch Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria, where a number of evacuations were ordered.

Freak storms in the north of the countries also left two people dead on Tuesday from falling trees.

Greece crisis in pictures: Infernos, black skies and fleeing tourists

Wednesday 26 July 2023 14:03 , Jane Dalton

Severe fires in parts of Greece and in other Mediterranean countries have spread, causing excess deaths, destroying homes and threatening nature reserves during a third wave of extreme temperatures. These are some of the most powerful images:

Infernos, black skies and fleeing tourists: The Greece wildfires in pictures

Melting power cables ‘bring Sicily to its knees'

Wednesday 26 July 2023 13:57 , Jane Dalton

A mayor in Sicily said his city had been “brought to its knees” by temperatures approaching 50C (more than 120F), which had melted underground cables.

Hundreds of thousands of people on Sicily have been left without power or running water as the heatwave hit utilities, as well as airports and public transport.

“Most of our existing infrastructure was designed based on temperature averages 60 to 80 years ago,” an expert in engineering and critical infrastructure told The Wall Street Journal, “but these aren’t the conditions we are facing today.” Repair bills could be high.

Holidays to Rhodes on sale at halfprice

Wednesday 26 July 2023 13:46 , Jane Dalton

Exclusive: A week’s package holiday to Rhodes is being offered for sale for around half the normal summer levels on the wildfire-hit Greek island, writes Simon Calder:

Summer holidays to fire-hit Rhodes on sale for just £295

Fire in Portuguese holiday destination ‘under control'

Wednesday 26 July 2023 13:06 , Holly Evans

A wildfire that began on Tuesday afternoon in the popular Portuguese holiday destination of Cascais, near the capital of Lisbon, is now under control but firefighters will remain on the ground.

Civil protection commander Elisio Oliveira said the blaze no longer posed a risk to the population but urged people to avoid the area.

More than 600 firefighters and water-bombing planes battled the blaze, which was complicated by strong winds.

Around 90 people were evacuated as a precaution, but no houses were damaged and no major injuries have been reported.

Croatian firefighters endure ‘long night’ to contain fires

Wednesday 26 July 2023 12:48 , Holly Evans

Firefighters in near Dubrovnik worked overnight to ensure that a burning wildfire was contained, amid concerns it would reach houses.

Several kilometers away from the famous walled town of Dubrovnik, in the country’s south along the Adriatic Sea coast, water-dropping planes and more than 100 firefighters battled the blaze.

The medieval stone city is a protected heritage site and Croatia’s best-known tourism destination.

“It’s been a long night but we managed to stave off the part (of the fire) that is important because of the houses,” firefighting unit commander Stjepan Simovic said. “We must be careful because the wind has started to pick up and the fire can grow again.”

UK ambassador to visit Rhodes

Wednesday 26 July 2023 12:33 , Holly Evans

The UK’s ambassador to Greece is due to visit Rhodes today as firefighters continue to battle wildfires that have caused thousands to be evacuated.

Ambassador Matthew Lodge will meet with Greek officials including the deputy prime minister Ioannis Bratakos, Rhodes mayor Andonis Cambourakis and south Aegean governor Giorgos Hatzimarkos.

Sky News reports that Mr Lodge is due to discuss “the current status of the wildfires” and the “progress in relocating Brits to hotels or returning to the UK”.

Locals fear Rhodes fires storing up problems in months to come

Wednesday 26 July 2023 11:45 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

The fires ravaging Rhodes are also storing up problems for locals in the months ahead, residents fear.

Speaking to The Independent in the town of Arhangelo, a local doctor in his 50s named Renos warned that the first large rainfall could bring a deluge of debris to the affected villages.

Even once the fires have been tamed in Rhodes, volunteers will need to work for at least a week to ensure the embers of the decimated forests do not reignite, he said.

Praising the strength of the civilians toiling at the fire front through the night after working in hotels and other jobs during the day, he said: “I think they deserve an Olympic gold medal.”

Former Greek defence minister calls for help from Russia to fight fires

Wednesday 26 July 2023 11:30 , Tara Cobham

A former Greek defence minister has urged the Greek government to seek help from Russia to fight the devastating wildfires.

Panos Kamennos claims it is impossible to cope with the fires without the support of the Russian Be-200 amphibious aircraft.

“Without Beriev, nothing happens. Let’s bow out heads and ask for help now. We will be given...” he said in a social media post.

Laura Sharman reports:

Former Greek defence minister calls for help from Russia to fight fires

Popular tourist site remains closed

Wednesday 26 July 2023 11:22 , Holly Evans

Temperatures in Greece have resulted in one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations closing for the afternoon, in a bid to protect visitors from the extreme heatwave.

With the heat expected to exceed 45C today, the Greek government said the Acropolis in Athens would be shut from 11am.

The historical landmark was forced to close last week as the stifling heat raised concerns around safety, with one woman attended to by paramedics after feeling faint.

Wildfires continue to rage across the country, with a blaze in Rhodes prompting the “biggest evacuation” in Greek history as 20,000 people were forced to leave their homes and hotels.

‘You feel like the fire is a beast’

Wednesday 26 July 2023 11:15 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

The area surrounding the villages of Gennadi and Vati have become hotspots for the fires ravaging Rhodes in recent days.

Speaking to The Independent in the town of Arhangelo, where hundreds of young volunteers have travelled from to fight the fires, a 41-year-old software designer named Stefanos Pardalos described his trip to the fire front.

“I went at 11 o’clock at night, I helped a little bit, but you can’t do anything. You feel like [the fire is] a beast, honestly. It’s the first time in my life I’ve seen something [like that].

“Imagine airplanes can’t do [much],” he said, comparing this to the difficulty facing volunteers on the ground, some of whom he said were loading pickups with water systems from their houses to combat the fires.

Temperatures approach peak in Rhodes as firefighting efforts continue

Wednesday 26 July 2023 11:00 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

Temperatures in Rhodes are approaching their forecast peak of 40C, intensifying conditions for those working to quell the fires here.

Hundreds of civilians have been travelling to the fire front in recent days, using any means at their disposal to halt the blazes which have prompted thousands of people to be evacuated from homes and hotels.

Those efforts continued on Wednesday in the scorching heat, as volunteers at a hub visited by The Independent near Faliraki bussed in and out to pick up supplies to take to those toiling in the south.

As well as the heat, already at 36C, the winds which have fanned the flames in unpredictable ways in recent days were set to intensify throughout the day here, with gusts reaching 25mph, according to the Met Office.

Watch: Tourist breaks down detailing how Greek locals saved her family

Wednesday 26 July 2023 10:45 , Tara Cobham

Travel industry ‘lost confidence’ in Foreign Office advice, says Paul Charles

Wednesday 26 July 2023 10:37 , Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent

A leading travel industry voice has called for a “complete overhaul” in Foreign Office consular advice.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency and former Virgin Atlantic director, told The Independent: “It needs a complete overhaul as Foreign Office advice has always been seen as the arbiter and signal for the industry.

"But the industry has lost confidence in it since Covid and it failed to move swiftly in the green/wildfire crisis. Either it needs to be relaunched, after industry consultation, or abandoned and the onus put firmly on tour operators, airlines and travel agents, following a new Code for Overseas Travel.”

Thousands of Britons unable to fly into Sicily due to post-Brexit passport checks

Wednesday 26 July 2023 10:30 , Tara Cobham

The latest travel casualty of the UK being outside the European Union’s Schengen area: flights to Catania in Sicily.

The airport, which is the main gateway to the island, closed on 16 July because of fire damage to a terminal building.

Operations resumed three days later – but only for flights within the EU’s Schengen Area. All such services are regarded as domestic, with neither passport control nor customs posts required. Therefore the amount of space and equipment required to house them is minimal.

But flights from the UK to Catania remain grounded. In common with other countries outside the European Union’s Schengen Area, all arriving and departing passengers must pass through passport control and, potentially, a customs check.

Since Brexit, passport inspections have become much more onerous. Passports are required to be examined for evidence of the traveller overstaying, and stamped.

In the case of Catania airport, there is no extra space for barriers and inspection posts.

Travel Correspondent Simon Calder reports:

Thousands of Britons unable to fly into Sicily due to post-Brexit passport checks

Which Greek islands are affected by wildfires?

Wednesday 26 July 2023 10:15 , Tara Cobham

Authorities in Greece have issued fresh evacuation orders for parts of Corfu as wildfires erupted on the island.

Fires in Rhodes have already forced 19,000 people to leave their homes as holidaymakers said they walked for miles in scorching heat to reach safety.

"The smoke was coming. So we all set off on foot. I walked 12 miles (19 km) in this heat yesterday. It took me four hours," British tourist Chris Freestone said.

Sea evacuations have now begun from a beach in Corfu to transport individuals fleeing from the fires on the island.

Faiza Saqib reports:

Greece wildfires: All the islands affected and everything you need to know

Watch: Greece wildfires seen from International Space Station

Wednesday 26 July 2023 10:00 , Tara Cobham

Three dead as Sicily counts losses from 'devastating' fires

Wednesday 26 July 2023 09:45 , Tara Cobham

Italy's southern island of Sicily has been devastated by wildfires that have killed three elderly people, its regional president said, as a heatwave and severe storms further north took a heavy toll.

The charred bodies of a couple in their 70s were found in their burnt-out home on the outskirts of Palermo, the regional capital, according to Italian media reports.

Another woman in her late 80s died in the Palermo province after an ambulance was unable to reach her home due to fires in the area.

In an overnight message on Facebook, Sicilian President Renato Schifani said "scorching heat and unprecedented devastating fires" had turned Tuesday into "one of the most difficult days in decades".

Italian firefighters said they battled nearly 1,400 fires between Sunday and Tuesday, including 650 in Sicily and 390 in Calabria, the southern mainland region where a bedridden 98-year-old man was killed as fire consumed his home.

Fires were still burning on the hills around Palermo on Wednesday, with Canadair planes back in operation to try to douse the flames.

Evacuation from Rhodes was ‘hell’, say family from Northern Ireland

Wednesday 26 July 2023 09:30 , Tara Cobham

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.”

Map showing places in Sicily impacted by wildfires

Wednesday 26 July 2023 09:15 , Tara Cobham

In pictures: Wildfires raging in Greece

Wednesday 26 July 2023 09:00 , Tara Cobham

Two people found dead in home burned by wildfires in Sicily

Wednesday 26 July 2023 08:45 , Tara Cobham

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.

More than 500 fires battled over two weeks in Greece, says minister

Wednesday 26 July 2023 08:30 , Tara Cobham

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.

Where are the fires in Corfu and Rhodes? Map reveals Greece wildfires

Wednesday 26 July 2023 08:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

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.

Where are the fires in Corfu and Rhodes? Map reveals Greece wildfires

At least 48 hours more of wildfire hell, Greek PM warns

Wednesday 26 July 2023 08:11 , Tara Cobham

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.

Wildfire burns metres away from cars driving on Italy highway

Wednesday 26 July 2023 08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

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

Italian airport limits flights after wildfires force temporary closure

Wednesday 26 July 2023 07:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

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

Wednesday 26 July 2023 07:34 , Tara Cobham

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.”

‘I want to help them to feel like they’re home,’ says young Rhodes volunteer

Wednesday 26 July 2023 07:02 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

Vasillis, a 20-year-old PE student in Athens who is home in Rhodes for the summer, has been volunteering at the evacuation centre which has housed hundreds of British tourists in recent days.

“A lot of people didn’t know what to do, where they were going. They evacuated their hotels, they thought all was over. I think they found a home, at least, food, drinks, and they were hopeful to continue their holidays,” he told The Independent late on Tuesday night.

“All the volunteers gave their whole heart to help. They were all patient, they helped everyone from the bottom of their hearts.”

Praising the “brave” volunteers who were helping with efforts to put out the fires still raging in the island’s south, he added that they had “a lot of love for their town, for Rhodes”.

Asked about his choice to remain at the centre over the coming days, he said: “I think it’s my character and I want to help people even if there are [only] a few, like [tonight’s] four people. For me it’s the same, even if it’s 400 or four people I want to help them to feel like they’re home.”

Satellite images show how wildfires spread to engulf large parts of Greek islands

Wednesday 26 July 2023 06:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

More evacuations were ordered as the week-long wildfire on the Greek resort island of Rhodes tore past defences due to strong winds, leaving local residents in scrambles.

The latest evacuations were ordered after at least 19,000 people, mostly tourists, were moved in buses and boats as the fire reached resorts on Rhodes’s southeastern coast.

Satellite images revealed the extent of devastation caused by the wildfire which has charred the central part of the island, burning down homes, cars and livestock.

More here.

Satellite images show how wildfires spread to engulf Greek islands

Evacuation centre which housed hundreds remains open in case of future need

Wednesday 26 July 2023 06:30 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

Last night, The Independent visited an evacuation centre in Rhodes which volunteers said played home to some 800 people fleeing the wildfires on Saturday.

While the large basketball court lay largely empty save for a handful of beds occupied by a group of volunteers who had travelled from Athens on Tuesday, citizens who have been helping to run the centre have vowed to keep it open in case of further evacuations this week.

A sizeable amount of donated foodstuffs and other essentials were gathered at the entrance, ready to disperse if necessary.

Describing the huge outpouring of support from those in the local community wanting to help, one volunteer pointed The Independent to a stack of A4 paper several centimetres thick with the details of people who had offered to help.

The centre is also used as a distribution point for people to pick up food, water and medicines for those affected by the fires in the south of the island.

Firefighters and locals battle wildfire in Portugal

Wednesday 26 July 2023 06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Firefighters scramble to put out wildfire in Portugal

Wednesday 26 July 2023 05:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Hundreds of Portuguese firefighters aided by local residents scrambled yesterday to put out flames sweeping across a national park near the popular holiday destination of Cascais.

The wildfire began at 5pm local time in a mountainous area that is part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, which covers around 145sqkm of land and is located west of the capital Lisbon.

More than 600 firefighters and 189 vehicles were pressed into action after the fire erupted. Water-bombing planes also battled the blaze but had to stop operating as night set in.

At one of the villages affected by the fire, desperate local residents took matters into their own hands as they tried to protect their homes with buckets of water and hosepipes, as strong winds fanned the flames.

“The fear now is that it will get to the houses,” Ines Figueiredo, 34, told Reuters. “We try to help as much as we can with buckets (of water)... but it’s not worth much.”

EU data shows Portugal, which has so far escaped the worst impacts of the European heatwave, is usually one of the bloc’s worst-hit countries by wildfires.

Are Greece wildfires caused by climate change?

Wednesday 26 July 2023 05:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Wildfires have raged across Greece for several days, triggering large-scale evacuations, rescue flights for British tourists and warnings from officials that things may yet get worse.

While the cause of the blazes has not officially been identified, local authorities have suggested at least some could have been the work of arsonists.

But climate science and fire risk specialists say it’s undeniable that rising temperatures and prolonged heatwaves mean the fires in the Mediterranean country have spread faster and burned over larger areas.

Maanya Sachdeva has more.

Are Greece wildfires caused by climate change?

Wildfire rages in Italy, burning down house and cars on its way

Wednesday 26 July 2023 04:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Foreign office advises people visiting affected areas to carry ‘appropriate insurance’

Wednesday 26 July 2023 04:18 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The UK foreign office has updated its guidance for people visiting Greece, telling those travelling to areas affected due to wildfire to make sure they had “appropriate insurance”.

“If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance,” the foreign office said, adding that the insurance should “cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency”.

Two dead in water-dropping plane crash in Greece

Wednesday 26 July 2023 04:08 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A Greek air force water-dropping plane crashed while diving into a wildfire in southern Greece yesterday, killing both pilots, as authorities battled blazes that have been raging for days across the country.

A state ERT TV video showed the bright yellow CL-215 aircraft releasing its load of water on the island of Evia before its wingtip apparently snagged in a tree branch. Moments later it disappeared into a deep fold in the ground from which a fireball erupted.

The air force said the pilots, aged 34 and 27, both died in the crash.

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cancelled a planned visit to Cyprus for today and Greece’s armed forces declared three days of mourning.

Simon Calder’s latest advice on travel to Greece as wildfires rage

Wednesday 26 July 2023 03:45 , Martha Mchardy

Southern Europe has found itself on the frontline of the climate crisis this summer, with the onset of an extreme heatwave bringing dangerously high temperatures to Italy and Spain and now raging wildfires to the hills of Greece.

The Greek islands have been a favourite destination for British holidaymakers for decades but this month has seen out-of-control blazes spark “the biggest evacuation” in its history from Rhodes while Crete, Corfu, Evia and Zante have also suffered devastating infernos.

Here’s what The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder has had to say about the evolving situation so far.

Simon Calder’s latest advice on travel to Greece as wildfires continue to rage

Michael Gove going on holiday to Greek island currently being evacuated

Wednesday 26 July 2023 02:45 , Martha Mchardy

Michael Gove is going to Evia in a week despite Greek authorities evacuating parts of the island.

The housing secretary is visiting the island, off the eastern coast of mainland Greece, after it became caught up in the “nightmare” wildfires engulfing the country.

Mr Gove told Sky News: “I am planning to go to Greece in just over a week’s time.” He added that he was visiting Evia.

Asked whether he was worried about the raging fires, Mr Gove said: “No, I am not.

“I think it’s absolutely right that individuals should be able to go to Greece to enjoy their holidays,” Mr Gove added.

Archie Mitchell reports:

Michael Gove going on holiday to Greek island currently being evacuated

Arsonists behind Corfu’s devastating wildfires as Greece ‘at war'

Wednesday 26 July 2023 01:45 , Martha Mchardy

Arsonists are being blamed for devastating wildfires that have swept through the Greek island of Corfu.

Corfu mayor Yorgos Mahimaris claimed on Monday that an arsonist started the fires which have sparked mass evacuations.

Mr Mahimaris came to the conclusion after visiting three locations where fires broke out on Mount Pantokratoras.

Oliver Pritchard-Jones reports:

Arsonists behind Corfu’s devastating wildfires as Greece ‘at war’

Where are the Italy wildfires as temperatures rise to 47.6C on Sicliy?

Wednesday 26 July 2023 00:45 , Martha Mchardy

Travel on and off the Italian island of Sicily has been disrupted after wildfires fuelled by extreme temperatures broke out.

Videos and photos show the fires ravaging the island holiday destination, including two of the main airports at Catania and Palermo.

Flames also threatened the ancient archaeological site of Segesta, which had to be closed temporarily to check for any damage.

Lucy Skoulding reports:

Where are the Italy wildfires as temperatures rise to 47.6C?

Voices: We are not just breaking heat records, we are smashing them

Tuesday 25 July 2023 23:15 , Martha Mchardy

The extreme weather events witnessed across the globe have been predicted for decades. Climate expert Mike Berners-Lee explains how we got here – and what we should do about it.

Playing with fire: We are not just breaking heat records, we are smashing them

ICYMI: Palermo airport shut due to raging wildfire

Tuesday 25 July 2023 22:45 , Martha Mchardy

‘The smoke blocked out the sun like an eclipse’

Tuesday 25 July 2023 21:45 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

John Rennie, 49, a project manager from Southport, was catching a flight to Manchester with his wife Marie-Claire from Rhodes Airport as he recalled the smoke from the fires blocking out the sun like an eclipse.

The couple had travelled to Lindos on Saturday, a day before road access to the village was closed off due to high winds fanning the flames in unpredictable and devastating ways.

Despite seeing the thick, noxious smoke already “covering the sun” on Saturday, they said that they were ultimately only affected in a minimal way by power outages and water shortages.

Minimal, at least, in comparison with their host at Kremasti, whose family members lived in the area ravaged by the blaze, which tore through two of their homes.

“He was helping as a volunteer. There seems to have been a lot of community involvement, there seems to be a big community circle on the island helping each other,” Mr Rennie told The Independent.

People ‘pushed and shoved’ in water as they boarded rescue boats, says tourist

Tuesday 25 July 2023 21:32 , Martha Mchardy

A mother said people were “pushing and shoving” in the water as they tried to clamber aboard rescue boats as fires raged on Rhodes.

Claire Pickett, her husband Golan Lambranzi and their two-year-old daughter Alice were evacuated from their hotel in Rhodes at about 7pm on Saturday night and taken in a truck to a nearby beach. A “military boat” then picked them up and took them to safety.

After arriving at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday evening, Ms Pickett, 37, of Sidcup, south-east London, told the PA news agency: “We could see the smoke all day coming from the hills but they said if it comes over the hills you may have to go home, and then once it got dark we could see fire on the hill.

“They knocked on the door and said pack a bag, you need to leave the hotel. No-one really knew what was going on. Everyone was trying to grab bags. It was chaos trying to get on the boats but I think that’s because people were scared. They were saying, ‘Don’t worry, we will take everybody’. By now it was probably 11, 12 at night.

“And then boats started to turn up but they were just local people, some were tiny boats, some were bigger boats. And then there was army boats. And it was just the case of jump on any boat you can.”

She added: “You just want to protect your children but she was good, she was in her pram, she fell asleep. The scariest bit was getting on to the first boat because you are just in the water and people were pushing and shoving, so it was just, we’ve got children, let us on the boat. But once I was on the boat I was fine.”

Ms Pickett said: “The locals were amazing, they came out in the night with the boats, they were offering food, drinks to everyone. We got this boat to the north of Rhodes, we didn’t know where we were going. Because we had a child they took us straight on a coach and we ended up in a school on the floor. They (gave us) sleeping bags, nappies, wipes for the babies, the locals were amazing.”

She added: “It was close enough that you could see it (the fire). It was smoky, it was hot, hot air blowing. I personally never thought I was going to die, I wasn’t worried about that. I was glad they evacuated us. It was scary, we didn’t know where we were going or what was happening, but I never feared for my life. It wasn’t nice but they did well in what was a chaotic situation.”

‘You still want to go on holiday at the end of the day,’ say British tourists travelling to Rhodes

Tuesday 25 July 2023 21:15 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

Hugh and Catriona, two 21-year-old university students at Southampton and Bath, and Paul, a 51-year-old teacher were both travelling as part of a family of six – having previously been forced to cancel a trip together to Rhodes during Covid.

“To be fair it has been quite a stressy two or three days, but we are quite north in the island so hopefully aren’t affected,” said Hugh. “There’s moral issues isn’t there, but you still want to go on holiday at the end of the day. Maybe [we’re] being a little bit selfish, but oh well.”

Paul said he had been speaking to one hotelier in the south who told him that “the damage hasn’t been very extensive and as soon as the authorities allow them to they’re ready to open the business again”.

Asked if they felt prepared were things to take a turn for the worse, Hugh added: “Not really, no. You take the risk. We understand that it’s a risk going on holiday, but we want to go on holiday, so [we’re] maybe putting that to the back of the mind a little bit.”

Joking that they “called the board together” for a meeting late at 11pm last night, the family said they decided to see whether their plane was cancelled or not.

“You can’t make a concrete decision when you don’t know what’s going on,” said Hugh, with a van booked to take them to the airport at 4am putting further pressure on them to decide whether to take the trip, which marked the first time they had all been away together in at least three years.

Noting that “there’s more [people] than I thought on the flight”, Paul added: “A lot of people haven’t had a choice, have they? Because if you’ve booked a package and it’s been cancelled, it’s out of your hands. Whereas we’ve booked separately, so our flights weren’t affected.”

‘As long as we get a holiday, that’s all that matters'

Tuesday 25 July 2023 20:45 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

Rosie, a 32-year-old office manager, and Alex a gas engineer, were travelling also travelling to Kallithea with their son Finlay, aged 11, for a holiday they had booked in April.

“I think we’re one of the lucky ones, aren’t we,” said Rosie, before Alex interjected: “Well, hopefully yeah, we’ll see.”

Having both been nervous over the past few days, Rosie said: “Up until last night, it was like ‘are we going, are we not?’” But after speaking to their holiday rep and a friend who works for easyJet who “said half of Rhodes is absolutely fine, there’s no smoke, nothing”, they felt reassured enough to travel.

“There’s no point not [going]. If it’s s*** when you get out there … it’s only the way back that’s going to be drama. Getting on a plane that’s not going to be our plane about three days later,” Alex said, prompting laughter, with Rosie adding: “As long as we get a holiday, that’s all that matters.”

He said he was mainly nervous for Finlay at first, adding: “But life goes on, doesn’t it. And no one’s died out there. It’s different if people have died, but no one’s died out there so why not take the risk? Simple as that.”

Alex added: “The media tell you what they want to show you to put people off. Showing people at the airport with ash all over their suitcases, that’s from people who were clearly near the fire.”

British tourists explain why they are still holidaying in Greece

Tuesday 25 July 2023 20:15 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

“We were absolutely [worried],” said Richard Hamilton, a 54-year-old company director from Guernsey, who was travelling with his daughter, who had been taking part in a golf competition in Winchester. The pair were meeting the rest of their family at Kallithea, who arrived there the night it “actually kicked off”.

“We’ve been keeping an eye on the news and everything, but it’s really difficult because it’s quite a big island. For us in the UK, you forget how big it is .... We’ve been really careful, we’ve got a close friend who’s kept an eye on it for us, so we’re not too concerned at all.”

Those travelling on easyJet flight 8229 all appeared to be staying in the north of the island, however, and felt conditions were safe enough to travel there and take their chances despite the “nightmarish” reports of people fleeing miles along beaches on the island to escape walls of flame just days earlier.

Noting that their family already in Kallithea “would have come home if they were worried”, Mr Hamilton said he hoped they would be able to relax over their eight-day stay, adding: “It’s going to be hot there but it seems like everything is okay, so we’ll see how we go when we get there.

“The airport might be a bit chaotic but apart from that it should be fine.”

Tourist describes ‘frightening’ and ‘terrifying’ experience as they flee fire-ravaged Rhodes

Tuesday 25 July 2023 19:56 , Martha Mchardy

A mother has told of her family’s “terrifying” experience fleeing fire-ravaged Rhodes.

Clare and James Gorick and their sons Harry, 13, and Wilfie, 10, landed at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday night after they were forced to fly home three days into their week-long holiday.

Ms Gorick, 46, from Ely, Cambridgeshire, told the PA news agency: “We were meant to be staying in a villa in Kalathos but we didn’t stay a night there because we were evacuated two hours after arriving. We went out to the supermarket and then weren’t allowed back so we had to stay in an apartment in the city on the first night and then we were told we could go back, which we did, but we were only there for an hour, there was smoke everywhere, ash everywhere, and then we heard sirens and police shouting for us to get out again.

“And you could just see the fire coming towards us. So we went and stayed, fortunately somebody linked to the company that we’d booked through, James Villas, they found us some accommodation for a night, and then we got any flights we could back to the UK because we were told we couldn’t get back to the villa at all.

“It was really frightening, a huge amount of smoke. At one point you couldn’t see any of the mountains in the distance because the smoke was so bad and then the flames, once it got dark you could see the flames.

“Lots of locals were really upset. There was lots of tears, people crying as they were driving off. Hundreds of coaches coming towards us to pick up people from the villages, they were absolutely packed. I’ve just sat next to somebody on the plane who said their hotel burnt down and they were sleeping in a hotel lobby for three nights and her mother had ended up in hospital because of smoke inhalation.

“Very, very upset for the children mainly. We were due to be there for seven days, we were only there for three. It was terrifying to see how quickly things were being ruined. It was really sad to see and sad to see how the locals how they were reacting to it.”

‘We were watching the fire coming over the mountain’

Tuesday 25 July 2023 19:45 , Andy Gregory in Rhodes

A woman on holiday with her three young children has described “watching the fire coming over the mountain” ahead of a “chaotic” evacuation from the path of the blaze.

Jodie Sutton, 31, from Southport, told The Independent as she waited for a flight from Rhodes International Airport Diagoras: “I want to get off the island as soon as possible.”Describing the Greek locals as “amazing”, she criticised TUI as having been “shocking”, as their party of seven was evacuated on Saturday.

“We got taken to a school in Archangelos, then that was in danger, so we had to move from there too, to Rhodos,” said the full-time mother to a one, two and seven-year-old.

“We were in a school, we had to sleep on the floor in a basketball court. The kids got blankets. The [volunteers] were amazing, we got food, everything.

“Tui told us nothing. Jet2 told us nothing. We ended up phoning the fire brigade, the police and the British government and Greek government last night, and they said, ’stay where you are, you are safe’.”

Describing the terrifying moments prior to their escape, she said: “We were watching the fire coming over the mountain. It didn’t get too close, we were out of there.“[The evacuation was] chaotic, we were rammed on a coach with hundreds of people. It was hot and sweaty, and I’ve got three young kids with me.”

'My life stopped': local people say they lost all in Greece wildfires

Tuesday 25 July 2023 19:26 , Martha Mchardy

Standing outside the blackened shell of what used to be his restaurant, Dimitris Hajifotis laments a livelihood lost to wildfires raging on the Greek island of Rhodes this week.

“My life now stopped,” he said. “Everything is taken by the fire.”

Inside his destroyed business in the coastal village of Gennadi, stacks of plates are covered in ash and debris near a burned-down kitchen.

The wildfires on the Aegean island have been burning for a week, forcing 20,000 people, most of them tourists, to flee in the scorching heat over the weekend, some on foot, others by sea as the nighttime sky turned an apocalyptic orange.

The flames swallowed up trees, burned cars, damaged homes and hotels and left animals dead in the streets.

About 10% of the island’s land area had burned, according to the Greek state broadcaster ERT, but the scale of the destruction has yet to be officially recorded.

For the residents of Rhodes, which like most Greek islands depends heavily on tourism for jobs and income, the scars run deep.

“I do two jobs. One is the restaurant, the other is that I am a farmer. All my fields, now it’s nothing, just black,” said Hadjifotis, who spent the winter renovating his business.

“We don’t know from where to start now. We don’t have money to do something to rebuild the restaurant.”

“We don’t expect anything big. But we wait,” Hadjifotis said. “We want the fire to stop. Not other houses to burn, not other restaurants, not other fields,” he said.

Summer wildfires are common in Greece but a record temperatures in recent weeks have worsened conditions. A heatwave is forecast to persist this week with temperatures set to exceed 44 Celsius (111.2 Fahrenheit) in some areas.

As more than 2,000 holidaymakers have been flown home to safety since Monday, for the locals left behind, the road to normality will be long.

Lefteris Laoudikos, whose family owns a small hotel in the seaside town of Kiotari, worries the fires will keep visitors away.

Their hotel was ravaged by the blaze, and father, cousin and two others spent the night trying to save their property using a nearby water tank as they waited for assistance.

Wildfire in Spain’s Gran Canaria island menaces villages

Tuesday 25 July 2023 19:15 , Martha Mchardy

A rapidly-spreading wildfire that broke out at the centre of the Spanish island of Gran Canaria on Tuesday forced the authorities to remove several hundred villagers from their homes, shut three roads and deploy helicopters to contain the blaze.

A Reuters witness said the flames affecting the hilly central part of the island near the Tejeda peak, away from the beaches popular with tourists, were just metres from an array of antennae on a mountain top, some of them linked to air traffic control.

However, Spanish airports operator AENA told Reuters, however, the Gran Canaria airport on the eastern coast was operating normally.

“The fire has escaped the initial efforts to control it... We are working intensely to prevent it from spreading,” local emergency services chief, Federico Grillo, told Radio Canarias.

Antonio Morales, head of the Island Council of Gran Canaria, told reporters about 100 firefighters and nine aircraft were working to put out the blaze that has so far burned through 200 hectares of forest but no buildings have been harmed.

One of the evacuees near the village of Cuevas Blancas, Jose Ramon Henriquez, told Reuters he had smelt the smoke around midday and called the emergency services.

“They told me they were already there trying to put the fire out but two hours later it broke out of control,” he said.

In pictures: Debris from plane crash that killed two pilots

Tuesday 25 July 2023 18:44 , Martha Mchardy

Tourists flying into Greece inferno reveal why they refuse to cancel holiday

Tuesday 25 July 2023 18:30 , Martha Mchardy

British tourists on an easyJet flight to Rhodes have said they refuse to let wildfires ruin their holiday - despite thousands heading back home from a ‘holiday hell’.

Speaking to The Independent at Gatwick Airport departure gate for the 9:35am flight to Rhodes on Tuesday morning, holidaymakers said that while they had “absolutely” been worried by the reports from Greece, “you still want to go on holiday, at the end of the day”.

The wildfires ravaging the south of the island have sparked Greece’s largest-ever evacuation effort, with many airlines now offering refunds or ticket exchanges to customers due to fly out – as a lack of Foreign Office advice against travel to Rhodes leaves others at the mercy of their insurance companies.

Andy Gregory reports:

Tourists flying into Greece inferno reveal why they refuse to cancel holiday

Watch moment plane fighting blaze in Evia crashes as two pilots die

Tuesday 25 July 2023 18:00 , Martha Mchardy

Video shows Rhodes hotel before and after blaze

Tuesday 25 July 2023 17:30 , Martha Mchardy

Shocking footage shows a luxury hotel before and after devastating wildfires broke out in Greece.

Sarkawt Fairouzi filmed video showing holidaymakers enjoying the sun by the pool at the Lindos Imperial in Rhodes.

Further footage shows the burnt remains of sun loungers and umbrellas after the blaze.

The tourist and his family were staying at the five-star hotel when fires broke out.

Fairouzi, from Sweden, said: “Every morning we would wake up and ash would be falling from the sky.

“Everyone was there: children, families. The smell of burning wood was really strong.”

Sarkawt and his family were evacuated on 21 July to a nearby town.

They returned two days later.

Greece wildfire: Video shows Rhodes hotel before and after blaze

Watch: Rhodes residents join wildfire fight with shovels, tree branches, and towels

Tuesday 25 July 2023 17:10 , Martha Mchardy

Thomas Cook issues update as tourists evacuated

Tuesday 25 July 2023 16:45 , Martha Mchardy

Travel company Thomas Cook said all its customers who were evacuated from Rhodes’ south east coast over the weekend have now returned home or will do so tomorrow.

The company also said people wishing to travel to non-affected parts of the island up to and including 31st July will be offered a refund.

A spokesperson for the company said: “All of Thomas Cook’s customers [around 50] who had to leave their hotel in Kiotari and Lardos on Rhodes’ south east coast over the weekend have now returned home or are doing so tomorrow.

“We want to thank them for their patience and understanding during the past few days. In addition, we have issued full refunds for customers who had booked to stay in those areas up to and including 31st July.

“Thomas Cook customers who choose to do so, continue to arrive for their holidays on other parts of Rhodes well away from the affected areas and are enjoying their time on the island.

“For now, however, we recognise that there are some concerns about holidaying in Rhodes, and so we are extending our offer to customers travelling to non-affected parts of the island for departures on Thursday 26th July.

“Should those customers no longer wish to travel to Rhodes they can amend their holiday to a different destination or departure date or receive a full refund.”

Rescue operation underway for two Airmen after plane fighting wildfires crashes in Greece

Tuesday 25 July 2023 16:38 , Martha Mchardy

A rescue operation is underway for two pilots flying a plane that crashed over the town of Karystos on the island of Evia near Athens after attempting to fight a wildfire.

The air force said the pilots, aged 34 and 27, both died in the crash. The plane had no ejection system.

A General Air Staff spokesman said: “On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 14:52, a CL-215 aircraft, with a crew of two Airmen, of the 355th Tactical Transport Squadron of the 112th Fighter Wing, crashed during aerial firefighting in Platanistos, Evia.

“A search and rescue operation is underway for the two Airmen. 1 Super Puma helicopter and 1 AB-205 Air Force helicopter have rushed to the area.”

Greek minister of national defence, Nikos Dendias, said: “The loss of the lives of Air Force Officers and firefighting aircraft operators, in the line of duty and while attempting to protect the lives and property of citizens, as well as the environment of our country, is deeply saddening.

“Our thoughts are with their families and colleagues, to whom we extend our most sincere condolences.”

French firefighters battle wildfire close to Nice airport

Tuesday 25 July 2023 16:33 , Martha Mchardy

Several dozen firefighters were using aircraft to battle a wildfire that had broken out in the French municipalities of Cagnes-sur-Mer and Villeneuve-Loubet, close to Nice international airport, officials said on Tuesday.

The fire affected an uninhabited area close to a highway, a local town hall official told Reuters, adding he was unaware of any evacuation measures for now.

Highway and rail traffic was interrupted, Nice police said on social media network X, formerly Twitter. Officials at Nice airport were not immediately available for comment.

Extreme weather throughout July has caused havoc across the planet, with record temperatures in China, the United States and southern Europe sparking forest fires, evacuations, water shortages and a rise in heat-related hospital admissions.

The Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur region, home to large cities like Marseille, Nice and Aix-en-Provence, was being closely watched on Tuesday, amid the prevalence of high temperatures and strong winds in an area historically prone to wildfires.

The Bouches-du-Rhone department on Tuesday was placed under a “red alert”, with authorities seeing a “very high risk” of wildfires.

There were several fire outbreaks in southeastern France on Tuesday afternoon, and authorities closed access to parks and markets to minimise the risks to residents, according to a report in Local media Nice Matin.

Storms kill two in northern Italy as government readies state of emergency

Tuesday 25 July 2023 16:20 , Martha Mchardy

Italy suffered a twin pounding from the elements on Tuesday when severe storms battered the north, killing a woman and a 16-year-old girl scout, while southern regions sweltered under a heatwave that has pushed temperatures towards record highs.

The government was preparing emergency measures to help regions hit by the extreme weather, with the northern region of Lombardy, which includes Milan, estimating damage of over 100 million euros ($110 million).

The overnight storm in Milan tore off roofs and uprooted hundreds of trees, blocking roads, smashing parked cars and disrupting overground transportation.

“It all happened around 4 or 5 AM this morning, it was very short but very intense, it knocked down several trees...with the wind gusts they took off and broke up,” witness Roberto Solfrizzo, 66, told Reuters.

In the northern Monza and Brescia provinces, a woman and the 16-year-old girl were killed after being crushed by falling trees, while a teenager was seriously injured when he was hit by a falling branch in the Veneto region.

Tourist attractions also bore the brunt of the bad weather, as the Sforza Castle was shut after some tiles were brought down and rain was heavy enough to penetrate the glass-vaulted Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan’s famed shopping arcade.

In other parts of Italy, the heatwave engulfing southern Europe maintained its grip, with 16 Italian cities on red alert on Tuesday because of the high temperatures.

A 98-year-old man, who was bedridden, was killed in the southern region of Calabria when fire consumed his home, Italy’s ANSA news agency reported.

Nello Musumeci, the civil protection minister, told SkyTg24 the cabinet was ready to listen requests from regions to declare a state of emergency, and urged all residents to exercise caution.

In some parts of eastern Sicily, temperatures rose to 47.6 Celsius (117.7 Fahrenheit) on Monday, close to a record European high of 48.8 Celsius recorded on the island two years ago.

“It is one of the most difficult days that Italy has experienced in recent years from a climatic and civil protection point of view ... The force of nature tends to overwhelm that of the man,” said Musumeci.

LNER to offer free travel to tourists returning to the UK from Rhodes or Corfu

Tuesday 25 July 2023 15:59 , Martha Mchardy

Train operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is offering free travel to holidaymakers returning to the UK from the Greek islands of Rhodes and Corfu.

It said standard travel along the east coast route will come at no cost for anyone who lands at a different airport from their home location or has to travel on a different day.

Customers should present their stamped passport and airline boarding card confirming travel from the islands within the previous 24 hours to use the service between Tuesday July 25 and Monday August 7.

David Horne, of LNER, said: “We recognise this is a difficult time for many people in Greece as wildfires continue to grip the islands of Rhodes and Corfu.

“At LNER we feel it is the right thing to do to assist those people returning to the UK to make their way home.”

easyJet responds after reports pilot told passengers flying to Rhodes a ‘terrible idea'

Tuesday 25 July 2023 15:57 , Martha Mchardy

Airline easyJet has responded after reports one of its pilots told passengers travelling to Rhodes was a “terrible idea,” leading to some getting off the plane just before take off from Gatwick.

The pilot reportedly told passengers over the Tannoy before take-off: “Travelling to Rhodes for a holiday at the moment is a terrible idea. As far as I’m concerned, this flight is being operated on an emergency basis. Return flights are now being managed by the military. If you want to get off flight, you are welcome to do so.

“I don’t know in what capacity you are travelling, but if you are travelling for leisure, my sincere recommendation is it’s a bad idea.”

The airline told The Independent that passengers were not warned to get off the aircraft by the pilot, and denied the pilot said it was an emergency flight.

EasyJet said one passenger chose to disembark before departure after finding out their accommodation was no longer available before another group of passengers said they no longer wished to travel.

An easyJet spokesperson said: “Customers are advised to follow official FCDO advice. For Rhodes this has not changed and our schedule continues to operate. As we understand that some customers travelling to the affected area may want to change their plans we have put in place a flexible policy for customers travelling to Rhodes in the coming days with the option to change their flights for free to another date or request a flight voucher for the value of their unused flights if they no longer wish to travel.”

“We know the situation for many currently in Rhodes is very difficult and we are doing all we can to help customers and provide assistance.

“easyJet has been operating repatriation flights from Rhodes to Gatwick in addition to our scheduled flights.”

Pilot says ‘I wish you all luck’, as easyJet plane brings tourists to Rhodes

Tuesday 25 July 2023 15:50 , Andy Gregory

Plane-loads of tourists are continuing to fly to Rhodes despite wildfires on the Greek island which have forced the largest evacuation in the country’s history.

Save for a little turbulence over Austria, the mood was mostly jovial on easyJet flight 8229 from Gatwick Airport on Tuesday morning.

Despite just 44 of the 85 intended passengers opting to travel, the vast number of empty seats went largely unnoticed, with one passenger remarking happily about the rarity of having enough space on a plane.

“I’m sure you know it is hot,” said the pilot as he began the descent, adding: “We all wish you luck in Rhodes whatever the reasons are for you taking this flight out there today.”

Firefighting planes which have been tackling the wild blazes in the south of the island sat on the tarmac as the easyJet flight rolled into its bay for passengers to disembark, before returning to Gatwick with a packed flight of 186 people.

Holidaymakers scoop water out of the pool to tackle wildfires

Tuesday 25 July 2023 15:47 , Martha Mchardy

German tourists were seen taking water from a swimming pool of a hotel in an attempt to put out wildfires on Rhodes.

Holidaymakers attempted to extinguish a fire near the seaside resort of Lindos, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes, taking water from a swimming pool and the sea.

It comes as tens of thousands of people were forced to flee the Aegean island as wildfires burn.

Watch live: Wildfire rages on Greek island of Rhodes as evacuations continue

Tuesday 25 July 2023 15:39 , Martha Mchardy

Watch live as wildfires continue to rage on Rhodes on Tuesday 25 July.

More British holidaymakers are due to return to the UK from the fire-ravaged Greek island, as repatriation flights continue.

Hundreds of people have already landed at British airports after parts of Rhodes went up in flames, forcing many to sleep in schools, airports and sports centres before finding a way home.

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell estimated on Monday morning there were as many as 10,000 Britons on the island but the department later said it would not be providing updates on the number of people repatriated.

Oliver Browning reports:

Watch live: Wildfire rages on Greek island of Rhodes as evacuations continue

Almost 100 firefighters tackle wildfire in Croatia

Tuesday 25 July 2023 15:37 , Martha Mchardy

Croatia has become one of several countries across Europe battling wildfires.

A firefighting plane is dropping water on a mountain side in Župa Dubrovačka in Croatia after a wildfire broke out last night.

Almost 100 firefighters are on the scene and several vehicles, according to reports, as the fire continues to burn.

The west side of the fire is under control, according to reports, and firefighters are now concentrating on the east side, towards the region of Konavle.

Government should ‘rethink’ its Rhodes travel advice, says Labour

Tuesday 25 July 2023 14:56 , Kate Devlin

Labour has suggested the government “rethink” the advice it is giving travellers over Rhodes, amid concerns cancellations may not be covered by insurers.

Labour leader in the Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon said the “lack of advisory” from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is “not helpful”.

The FCDO has not formally told holidaymakers not to travel to the island and instead is advising they check with their travel operator.

Lords deputy chief whip the Earl of Courtown said ministers recognised that some travel companies do use FCDO advice.

But he added: “Our travel advice is focused on ensuring the safety of British nationals and is designed to give people the detail they need to make an informed decision.”

Lady Smith said the minister should “rethink this matter”.

She said the “Government’s advisory is not helpful - or lack of advisory - to those who are not sure if they should fly this week or not, or what the financial consequences could be.”

Lib Dems accuse PM of ‘missing in action’ as wildfires burn in Rhodes

Tuesday 25 July 2023 14:41 , Martha Mchardy

Rishi Sunak has been urged by the Liberal Democrats to call an emergency meeting in response to the wildfires in Rhodes.

The party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Layla Moran said: “While thousands of British holidaymakers are impacted by the wildfires on Rhodes, Rishi Sunak has shown a failure of leadership.

“The prime minister needs to take action and urgently convene an emergency Cobra meeting to help holidaymakers.

“The Government must also immediately change the Foreign Office advice to essential travel only, which will enable the thousands of British tourists due to fly to Rhodes to safely cancel their holidays without being left out of pocket.

“Holidaymakers are being let down by this Conservative Government and a prime minister who is missing in action when they need him.”

‘Two dead’ after plane fighting wildfire in Greece crashes

Tuesday 25 July 2023 14:27 , Martha Mchardy

Two people have been confirmed dead after a plane fighting the wildfires in Greece crashed, according to reports from the BBC.

The accident occurred over the town of Karystos on the island of Evia near Athens, where a fire has been burning for several days.

Local media reported the plane’s wing clipped a tree, with footage showing the small plane plummeting to the ground and exploding after dropping its cargo over the blaze.

Holly Evans reports:

‘Two dead’ after plane fighting wildfire in Greece crashes

Watch moment plane fighting wildfires in Evia crashes

Tuesday 25 July 2023 14:24 , Martha Mchardy

Watch: Tourists lounge near pool as wildfires rage in Rhodes

Tuesday 25 July 2023 14:21 , Martha Mchardy

British tourist tells of ‘traumatic’ escape from hotel that ‘caught alight hours later’

Tuesday 25 July 2023 14:15 , Tara Cobham

A British tourist has spoken of a “traumatic” escape from her hotel in Rhodes, which she was told was hours later caught alight in the wildfires spreading across Greece.

Demi Kemp, 25, of Essex, said she was having lunch at her hotel in the village of Kiotari on Saturday surrounded by falling ash, growing clouds of smoke, and a smell similar to a bonfire when her boyfriend received an evacuation alert on his phone. Shortly after, the power cut and fire alarms started going off.

“People started to panic,” Ms Kemp, a legal PA, told The Independent. “People were running everywhere. We started seeing staff crying and that’s when we thought, ‘Oh, this is bad.’ It was traumatic.”

The hotel evacuated and many walked two hours in “unbearable heat” to another hotel, she said. “There were kids screaming. People were passing out and stopping because they had cramps in their legs. Locals were bringing out hoses to spray and cool people down. I was still in my bikini and beach cover-up.”

At the hotel on Gennadi Beach, the group was given food and water. Ms Kemp said the army turned up and started transporting people, while local residents were “piling people up in cars”.

Next, she managed to get a coach to a nearby school, where people were laying on cardboard to rest and black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.

From here, Ms Kemp rallied a group of 80 people and a coach driver offered to take them to the airport for free.

She described the airport as “frantic”, with everyone scrambling to try and get on the few, already overbooked flights. Luckily, her group of four bagged seats on a 4.30am flight on Sunday. She said, “It was the quietest flight I’ve ever been on. When we took off you could see the blaze out the window.”

They made it home at 9am. Ms Kemp said: “It was like an out-of-body experience. I remember feeling the heat and seeing the fire and thinking we were not going to make it home at one point. The weather was just getting hotter and the wind was spreading the flames.”

Minister reiterates warnings Greece fires are ‘wake-up call' on climate change

Tuesday 25 July 2023 14:00 , Kate Devlin

A UK government minister reiterated warnings that the Greece fires are a “wake-up call” on climate change as he said individual holidaymakers had their own “choice” to make about whether or not to travel.

The Earl of Courtown resisted calls for the government to change its travel advice, amid warnings it limits whether consumers can get refunds on their holidays.

He told peers the situation in Rhodes was “stabilising” and there were no plans to repatriate holidaymakers from the island as Rhodes airport was operating normally.

The Foreign Office has deployed a Rapid Deployment Team of six staff and four British Red Cross responders to the airport, he said.

He added: “Every individual has their own choice of where they go on holiday. I will be staying at home over the next six weeks”.

Travel expert Simon Calder to answer your holiday questions at virtual event

Tuesday 25 July 2023 13:45 , Tara Cobham

As the long summer break begins for many our expert travel team are preparing to answer your questions on how to best tackle the coming weeks.

Travel editor Helen Coffey will be hosting the discussion and she will be joined by our renowned travel correspondent Simon Calder and deputy travel editor Ben Parker.

The team will be answering all of your questions, from what to check for on your passport before you travel, to how to find a bargain last minute deal. And there are the answers on whether to stay in the UK or travel aboard? Plus, whether to find a secure package deal or whether you should track down the separate options for flights and accommodation to get the best deal?

Sign up for free here by 4pm on July 25 to watch the discussion.

Simon Calder to answer your holiday questions during exclusive event

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website