Climate: Fires continue to rage on Rhodes

2023-07-25 11:02:06

Climate Fires continue to rage on Rhodes

A forest is on fire near the village of Vati in the south of the island of Rhodes. photo

© Christoph Reichwein/dpa

The end of the heat in Greece is in sight. But the fires are not over yet. The flames continue to rage on Rhodes. Authorities are investigating how the fires started.

Strong winds complicate the fight against the forest fires on the Greek holiday island Rhodes. Six villages north and west of the ancient site of Lindos are under threat. Firefighting planes and helicopters were used again at first light to get the flames under control, according to the fire brigade.

“The extinguishing work is very difficult (on Rhodes) because of the turning winds,” said a spokesman for the fire brigade on state radio. Fires are also raging around the port city of Karystos on the island of Euboea in northeast Athens, threatening villages.

Temperatures over 40 degrees

According to the weather office, temperatures will be well above 40 degrees in large parts of Greece on Tuesday and especially on Wednesday. In the west of the country, the meteorologists are supposed to get hotter than 46 degrees on Wednesday. A drop to around 35 degrees is expected on Thursday.

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Citizen Protection, investigations have been launched to clarify how these fires started. The judiciary is also determining whether the fire brigade acted correctly when the fire in the south-east of Rhodes was still small, state television reported.

However, representatives of the police and fire service unions dampened expectations that those responsible would be found at all. Experience has shown that the chances are low that those who intentionally and secretly set fire would be identified, said the unions on state radio.

Often arson

In most cases in the past it was determined that the arson was caused by negligence. In Athens, for example, a major fire broke out in the west of the city at the beginning of July. Two men were ultimately blamed; According to the investigation, they had carried out welding work outdoors.

According to initial estimates by experts, around 150 square kilometers of forest and agricultural land have been destroyed in the recent fires on Rhodes. In addition, according to estimates by animal rights activists, numerous deer, turtles and other wild and farm animals have died.

Rhodes has a native species of fallow deer called Dama-Dama. Many of these animals burned. Animals that survived are now looking for food and water in inhabited regions, state television reported. Animal rights activists called on the people of Rhodes on the radio to leave food and drinking water in their gardens so that the deer could strengthen themselves. The Dama-Dama also live in Mesopotamia. It is unclear when and how they came to Rhodes.

Elsewhere in Greece there are fires in the Peloponnese peninsula near the port town of Egion and on the island of Corfu. However, these fires have been contained and do not threaten any inhabited areas, according to the fire department.

dpa