Mass evacuations and flight cancellations as wildfires devastate Greek islands

Evacuations in Greek Islands Rhodes and Corfu as Wildfires Rage

Thousands of people have been evacuated from the Greek islands of Rhodes and Corfu as wildfires continue to ravage the popular holiday destinations. The fires, which began last week, have forced around 19,000 people to leave Rhodes, while approximately 2,500 individuals have been evacuated from Corfu. The situation on Rhodes was described as "the biggest evacuation in Greek history." On Saturday, as the flames approached the coastal regions of Rhodes, an Attleborough man named Jonathan Lewis decided to assist in the rescue efforts. Lewis, who was on holiday with his family, drove through the smoke and chaos to rescue stranded families and transport them to safety. He made six round trips, picking up people along the way, before he and his family were evacuated from their resort hotel. Meanwhile, in Corfu, British tourists were also forced to flee as the fires engulfed the island. Jet2 and Tui cancelled all flights to Rhodes, with the planes instead being used to evacuate holidaymakers. The situation in Corfu prompted the evacuation of several villages, with people being told to move to safer areas due to the fires.

Severity of Fires in Corfu and Flight Cancellations

The Greek fire service reported that the fires on Corfu were particularly severe in the northern part of the island, which is popular with British tourists. As the wildfires continue to rage, holiday firms have cancelled flights to the affected areas, while others have confirmed that their flights will continue as scheduled. British Airways has offered passengers the option to postpone their trips free of charge or return earlier if they are already on the island.

Efforts to Contain Wildfires and Ongoing Investigation

The Greek emergency services and the army are working to contain and extinguish the fires, but the situation remains precarious. The cause of the wildfires is still under investigation.