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The toughest fires so far are on Rhodes and Corfu, the Fire Brigade's spokesperson Yiannis Artopios said on Tuesday, while the other fires have rekindlings.

The toughest fires so far are on Rhodes and Corfu, the Fire Brigade’s spokesperson Yiannis Artopios said on Tuesday, while the other fires have rekindlings.

The rekindling early on Tuesday morning in the region of Vati, Southeast Rhodes, resulted in evacuation orders through the 112 emergency notification system, calling on residents to leave in the direction of Lindos. A total of 266 firefighters, 16 rough terrain teams, 55 water trucks, several volunteers and Civil Protection agencies are constantly operating in the region, Artopios said, aided by 9 airplanes and 4 helicopters that operate during the day.

A lot of rekindlings are also noted in Northeast Rhodes, he added. The spokesperson said evacuated villages included Imerolia and Syki (toward Kassiopi’s port), while operating in the are are 62 firefighters 3 rough terrain units, 21 water trucks and, per need, 6 aircraft and 4 helicopters.

Karystos, Evia

At the island of Evia, in Platanisto of the Karystos area, and Dervenaki Egialias in Achaia (northern Peloponnese), there are several rekindlings of fires “so far managed by powerful land and air forces allocated in those areas,” Artopios said.

Later information said that the subsiding of the strong winds that were blowing in the area of Karystos in combination with the superhuman efforts of the firefighting by air have helped break the spread of the fire, as firefighting forces managed to set the fire under control, according to local authorities.

“We want to be optimistic, as from Tuesday morning we fought hard by land and by air and managed to restrict the fire fronts,”  the vice governor of Evia Giorgos Kelaiditis told Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

“If the weather conditions allow it, maybe late at night we will be able to put an end to this nightmare that we are experiencing in the last days,” added Kelaiditis.

A total of 8 water-dropping helicopters and two firefighting aircraft were operating in the area.

Greek fires

Meanwhile, in the fires overall, Greek firefighters have been joined by counterparts and fire engines from 10 countries as of Monday night, while another 38 firefighters with 14 fire trucks are expected on Tuesday from Serbia, Artopios said.

He also warned of extreme risk of fire on Wednesday in several areas of mainland Greece, and very high risk in all other areas, with a rise in temperatures expected.

Corfu evacuations

On the Ionian island of Corfu, conditions are difficult at the Loutses village (Northeast Corfu) and those of Syki and Imerolia, closer to the coast. At Loutses, flames have reached courtyards of homes and destroyed a carpentry facility.

Tourists at these areas have been transported to the town hall of Acharavi, North Corfu, while all possible forces including the police and residents with volunteers have thrown themselves at the effort to put the fire out. Thick smoke obstructs efforts, and ambulances as well as doctors are on standby for emergencies.

Evacuations are continuing along the area, with Kalamaki and Apraos residents also notified by 112 to evacuate toward the port of Kassiopi.

Tourism ministry

An emergency meeting on the Rhodes fire was also held earlier by Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni. At the meeting, she praised “the stance and reaction of Rhodes residents who acted in exemplary fashion and self-sacrifice” in helping foreign tourists displaced from accomodations by the fire in the center of the island. The ministry’s crisis management unit was effective and will be further boosted.

In addition, a future action plan to promote the island globally as a uniquely beautiful and safe destination is to be implemented, as are actions such as Rhodes’ upgraded participation in the WTM (World Travel Market) global fair in London in November.