Fires in Greece subside after devastating two weeks

On Rhodes and Evia, firefighters are still battling blazes

A fireman holds a cat and two rabbits after rescuing them from a fire on the Greek island of Rhodes. AFP

Local residents try to extinguish a fire near the seaside resort of Lindos, on the island of Rhodes. AP

Tourists wait for buses at Gennadi Beach on the Island of Rhodes. AP

German tourists and local residents try to extinguish a fire near the seaside resort of Lindos. AP

Tourists take water from the swimming pool of a hotel as they try to extinguish a fire near the seaside resort of Lindos. AP

Smoke rises on Corfu following a wildfire. Reuters

Tourists wait for departing planes at the airport, after being evacuated following a wildfire on the island of Rhodes. Reuters

Over 10,000 people have been evacuated following a wildfire on the island of Rhodes. Reuters

People watch the fires near the village of Malona in Rhodes. AFP

A large wildfire burning on the Greek island of Rhodes has forced authorities to order an evacuation of four locations, including two seaside resorts. AP

A man carries a child as they leave an area where a forest fire burns. AP

The smoke cloud from the forest fire rises over the island of Rhodes. AP

More than 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines were operating, assisted by three planes and five helicopters. EPA

Fires are common in Greece but hotter, drier and windy summers have turned the country into a wildfire hotspot in recent years. Reuters

Local officials on Rhodes said on Saturday they had moved 30,000 people threatened by wildfires to safety. Reuters

Volunteers try to put out a wildfire in Kiotari village, on Rhodes island. EPA

An empty beach in Rhodes. Thousands of locals and tourists have been evacuated from the area. Reuters

Coastguard vessels and more than 30 private boats took part in an operation near beaches. Reuters

Smoke rising from a wildfire covers the air over a basketball court near Lardos, on the island of Rhodes, Greece. Reuters

A fire engine from Slovakia in Kiotari village, on Rhodes island. EPA

Smoke rises from a burnt hotel complex during a wildfire. AFP

Wildfires in Greece, which have been burning for nearly two weeks, began to subside on Friday, though the emergency services remained vigilant of potential flare-ups.

The fires have caused significant damage, resulting in five deaths, destroying homes, farms, factories and reducing extensive forest areas to ash.

"For now we have no spreading fires, the situation is improving but we remain on a war footing to contain the ongoing fires," a Greek fire service spokeswoman said.

Wildfires in the Magnesia area triggered a series of powerful explosions at an air force ammunition depot near Nea Aghialos, leading to the evacuation of the area and the relocation of fighter jets stationed nearby.

Greek authorities continue to uphold an exclusion zone around a central air force base where the fires have triggered substantial explosions at an ammunition depot.

The blasts, some of the largest the country has seen, resulted in the evacuation of more than 2,000 people and the relocation of nearby fighter jets. A traffic ban and evacuation order remain in place within a two-mile radius of the blast site.

The impact of the blast was felt from a considerable distance, shattering windows in shops, witnesses said.

Dina Angeli, a resident in nearby Nea Aghialos, said shop windows had "split open ... the panels have fallen in, only metal is left, the ironwork".

As Greece contends with more than 100 active blazes, the threat of wildfires is escalating in the French Riviera.

The European Forest Fire Information System said a high-risk zone will be established from Sunday, extending from Marseilles to Nice on the south coast. and also covering inland areas.

This comes as concerns increase over rising temperatures in the region, with parts of Italy and Spain also at risk, meteorologists have said.

Problems facing firefighters in Greece

The fires advanced towards the country's capital, Athens, on Thursday.

Water-dropping helicopters and a ground crew scrambled early on Thursday to a blaze in Kifissia, just north of Athens, which was quickly put out.

Strong gusts of wind caused flare-ups around Greece, disrupting motorway traffic and rail services.

More than 600 wildfires have broken out across the country since July 13 although most were tackled before they could pose a threat, the Greek government said.

The civil protection ministry has warned of extreme danger of fire in more than a dozen regions on Thursday.

In the central region of Volos, a wildfire burnt on two fronts, temporarily closing Greece's busiest motorway and triggering significant delays to national rail services. The fires have already prompted widespread evacuations, particularly in tourist destinations like Rhodes.

On Rhodes and another island, Evia, firefighters are battling fires for the tenth consecutive day.

The aftermath, as seen in aerial photographs from the village of Gennadi on Rhodes, paints a harrowing picture.

Scorched land and trails of smoke lay testament to the destructive path of the inferno.

However, the efforts of firefighters and volunteers have kept damage to homes to a minimum.

Around the Mediterranean, fires this week also flared in Portugal, Croatia and Italy, and blazes killed 34 in Algeria as extreme heat left landscapes tinder dry.

In Italy, firefighters battled brush fires in the southern mainland regions of Calabria and Puglia, as well as the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

They were helped by temperatures dropping by about 13°C (55°F) into the low- and mid-30s (the high 80s in Fahrenheit).

Sicily remained the focal point, with fires continuing to burn near the capital, Palermo, as seven aircraft were engaged to douse the flames.

A blaze on the Croatian island of Ciovo is being tackled by 150 firefighters and six aircraft, marking the second wildfire on the country's Adriatic coast this week.

Efforts to control the fire have been challenged by strong winds but residential areas remain safe from the flames.

The smoke from the fire has reached as far as Split, 15km south of Ciovo.

Greek PM calls for more action on climate change

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged the nation to take more substantial steps to counteract climate change and its impact.

“These are difficult and very sad days,” he said.

“Without doubt, we can see that all across the Mediterranean the climate crisis is here and it’s affecting us all more strongly than perhaps even scientists had warned us about.”

During a meeting with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, he said the reality of climate change should not paralyse the nation into inaction.

Mr Mitsotakis stressed the importance of reforming Greece's fire prevention policies to cope with the accelerating climate crisis.

“Our country needs to enhance its preparedness and resilience to face this reality we are already beginning to experience,” the Prime Minister said.

Winds hamper firefighting efforts

Greek fire crews are operating under a pressure to extinguish the blazes before forecast strong winds potentially rekindle the flames.

Reinforced by EU counterparts, hundreds of firefighters are battling blazes on the islands of Rhodes, Corfu, and Evia, along with new outbreaks in central Greece.

The Civil Protection Ministry has issued warnings of extreme fire danger across several Greek regions, after they claimed at least five lives.

Devastation on the road as buildings appear mostly unscathed

An aerial photo from the village of Gennadi on Rhodes shows the aftermath of the wildfires. AP

Wildfire carbon emissions for July in Greece were the highest by a huge margin – totalling more than one metric megaton and doubling the previous record, according to the EU's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.

“Unfortunately, it is not all that surprising, given the extreme conditions in the region,” said Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at the agency, which analyses satellite data. “The observed intensity and estimated emissions show how unusual the scale of the fires has been for July relative to the last 20 years of data.”

In Athens, senior members of the armed forces paid tribute to the two pilots killed in a firefighting plane crash this week, at a ceremony at the Defence Ministry.

Cpt Christos Moulas and Lt Pericles Stephanidis died during a low-altitude water drop on Evia.

Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said: “Greece today is in mourning. Their memories will live on.”

Funerals for the two airmen were due to take place in northern Greece on Thursday and on the island of Crete on Friday.