News Sport
Greece wildfires force mass evacuations infographic
Graphic maps Greek islands where evacuations are taking place.
GN44622EN
EN NL AR DE ES PT

ENVIRONMENT

Tourists flown home as wildfires rage on Greek islands

By Jordi Bou

July 24, 2023 - Wildfires burning across Greece are forcing the evacuation of thousands of people from some of the country’s most popular holiday destinations.

Tour operators have begun flying home holidaymakers on the Greek island of Rhodes while officials say the threat of further fires is high in almost every region of the country.

Fires burning since Jan 19 on Rhodes have forced the evacuation of 19,000 people, while in Corfu nearly 2,500 people have been forced to leave their homes.

Rhodes and Corfu are among Greece’s top destinations for tourists mainly from Britain and Germany.

Greece is often hit by wildfires during the summer months but climate change has led to more extreme heatwaves across southern Europe.

Temperatures over the past week have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country and were forecast to persist in the coming days.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 24/07/2023; STORY: Graphic News
Advertisement