Thousands of people on the popular Greek vacation island of Rhodes spent the night outdoors as large forest fires forced the evacuation of many villages and hotel complexes. According to the

Greek government, approximately 19,000 people were safely relocated, with many seeking refuge in the north of the island. The evacuation operation has been described as the largest ever seen in Greece.

In response to the severe forest fires, travel company Tui announced that it would temporarily suspend flights to Rhodes. However, flights to bring back tourists to Germany were still in operation. Many travelers were also given the option to cancel their flights free of charge or rebook to another destination. The Tui Group currently has around 39,000 guests in Rhodes, of which 7,800 were affected by the fire and evacuated.

Television images showed tourists sleeping on mattresses in gymnasiums, while the locals of Rhodes demonstrated a great wave of willingness to help, offering their private accommodations and providing food, water, bedding, and mattresses to those in need.

Approximately 16,000 people were rescued by land and 3,000 by sea from the beaches since the start of the evacuation on Saturday, according to initial police estimates. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing fires, new vacation planes continued to land on Sunday, as confirmed by the island's deputy mayor.

The Greek Foreign Ministry set up a hotspot at the island's airport to help tourists obtain exit permits without bureaucratic obstacles, especially for those who may have lost their identification documents during the evacuation. The Civil Defense crisis team also established two telephone numbers for foreign visitors to report any missing loved ones, although no missing persons have been reported so far.

The fires continue to rage, and there is no relief in sight as strong winds persist. The fire department reported three major fronts around the resort of Kiotari, the village of Apollona, and the reservoir Gadoura.

The forest fire danger remains extremely high for large parts of Greece, including Rhodes, due to an ongoing heatwave with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in many places. Global warming has contributed to an increased risk of forest fires in various regions, with longer periods of drought and drier vegetation leading to faster fire spread.

As the situation remains critical, authorities and communities are closely monitoring developments and providing support to those affected by the wildfires on the island of Rhodes. Photo by Bernard Gagnon, Wikimedia commons.