Tourists are being evacuated from Greek islands amid ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires

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Vacationers have been forced to leave their hotels in Greece due to the spread of wildfires throughout the country.

Firefighters fought fires on the eastern Aegean islands of Chios and Kos on Monday, injuring five people. Greece's prime minister cautioned about a hazardous summer coming up and emphasized the importance of public assistance in controlling the spread of wildfires.

During the summer months of the previous year, wildfires claimed the lives of 20 individuals.

Forest fires are frequent in the Mediterranean nation, but the hotter, drier, and windier climate that experts attribute to the impact of climate change has raised the number and strength of these fires.

Emergency services told people living in the Metohi area of western Chios to leave their homes immediately and go to a beach close by.

As night fell, over 140 firefighters, including eight specialized teams for wildfires, seven planes for dropping water, and three helicopters, were working hard to combat the fire.

A spokesperson from the fire department, Vasilis Vathrakoyiannis, mentioned that two firefighters were slightly hurt. Many more firefighters were on their way to the island by boat from Lesbos and Athens. ERT television, which is government-run, later said that two more firefighters and a volunteer had minor burns that were not life-threatening.

"The conditions in Chios are still tough, and all Civil Protection teams will work hard to improve the situation," Vathrakoyiannis stated during a briefing held in the evening.

A new fire started in the south of the Aegean, on the popular island of Kos, and by late Monday had caused many people, including tourists staying in hotels, to leave as a safety measure. Over 100 firefighters, with additional support from Athens, along with six planes dropping water and two helicopters, were dealing with this fire.

Clare Smith, who is 38 years old, is currently vacationing in Kos with her husband and nine-year-old daughter. She informed Sky News that the situation had worsened throughout the day, as thick clouds of black smoke were now filling the sky.

"It's so windy here, it's going to feel like a powder keg," she remarked. "The sky is filled with smoke. It's almost like being in an apocalyptic scenario, or a scene from a war movie."

Overall, Greece experienced 52 wildfires starting within the last 24 hours, with 44 of them being addressed quickly, according to Vathrakoyiannis. As of Monday evening, authorities were still dealing with a total of eight fires.

The fires happened the day after the fire department successfully controlled two big forest fires near Athens that were fueled by strong winds.

In a recent Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis mentioned that June has been very challenging due to the dry weather and strong winds that are not typical for this time of year. He also warned that this summer is expected to be more risky in terms of wildfires.

Mitsotakis mentioned that utilizing drones in a preemptive system to detect wildfires had been very effective this year. He attributed the limited fire damage so far to improved cooperation between officials and volunteer firefighters.

"We are now moving into the most critical part of the fire season, and we cannot succeed without the support of the community, especially when it comes to prevention," Mitsotakis stated.