Home / Weather News /

Is your holiday affected? Wildfires rage across Greek islands

11:00
24 July 2023

Is your holiday affected?
Wildfires rage across Greek islands

Massive dark clouds of smoke from a forest fire rise into the sky on the Greek island of Rhodes. Massive dark clouds of smoke from a forest fire rise into the sky on the Greek island of Rhodes. - © picture alliance

For thousands of tourists, summer holidays in Greece have become a nightmare, with forest fires out of control.

Rhodes

For days, fires have been burning in the densely forested centre of Rhodes. Initially, the fires were contained, but strong winds have fanned the flames once again as you can see on our WindRadar below.

Flames drifted directly toward villages in the south and southeast of the island. The resort of Lindos was particularly affected too.

Approximately 20,000 holidaymakers and tourists fled, and had to spend the night outdoors, in sports halls or schools - up to 10,000 of which are British tourists.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs activated a crisis team at the Civil Defence to take care of tourists, who had to be evacuated.

During this time of year, in peak tourist season, there is hardly any free accommodation. Many locals took in tourists to their homes and provided food, water and bedding.

Settings for external content

Privacy Policy

Fires on other islands

Large fires have broken out on other islands too. In Corfu, evacuations of the popular resort of Nisaki have begun. Coastguard boats brought around 1,000 people to safety.

Major fires are also raging on the island of Evia, near Karystos, and on the Peloponnese peninsula near the small port town of Egion.

Hundreds of firefighters have arrived from Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia and Malta for reinforcement. France, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel and Jordan are participating in the firefighting efforts with firefighting planes and helicopters.

Did you know?

99% of all forest fires are caused by human carelessness.

Long drought and heat wave

The relentless heatwave has had the southern and eastern Mediterranean region firmly in its grip for days.

In fact, Monday 24th July could see Europe's all-time temperature of 48.8°C broken in Sicily.

It also has not rained in Greece for quite some time. The last time a sufficient amount of rain fell in Rhodes for example, in the seaside resort of Paradessi, was in May.

More on the topic
Shooting stars, part of the Geminid meteor shower.
Saturday, 13 December 2025

Spot a shooting star

King of meteor showers at its peak
Weather map showing temperatures and a 4,542 mile route arrow over the Atlantic. Symbols indicate sun, clouds and precipitation from North America to Europe.
Wednesday, 17 December 2025

From Europe to America

Weather front over 4,500 miles long
Map comparison showing 44 degrees in Indulkana and minus 51 degrees in Olenyok. Coloured temperature ranges show stark global contrasts.
Tuesday, 9 December 2025

Global extremes

Almost 100 degrees difference in temperature
All weather news
This might also interest you
Mammatus clouds
Thursday, 21 August 2025

Unusual view

Mammatus clouds over Ireland
Split weather map showing UK wind speeds in orange-red shades up to 40 mph on the left and warning levels in green-yellow on the right, with a central wind warning sign.
Wednesday, 22 October 2025

Warnings active

Storm Benjamin impacts the UK
Wednesday, 27 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Frontal system brings heavy rain
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList