SW News: On the Greek island of Rhodes, thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes and hotels after the island was heavily damaged by wildfires. More than 3,500 individuals have been transported to safety by land and sea from the island as Greece is facing an intense heat wave.

Three settlements of Pefki, Lindos, and Kalathos will require the evacuation of an additional 1,200 people. According to Greece's Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, no casualties have been reported. It stated that tourists are being safely transferred to other hotels on the island after being evacuated from the damaged sections of Rhodes, which comprise fewer than 10% of the island's tourist accommodations.

Since Tuesday, the island has been battling wildfires that high winds have fanned as Europe struggles with difficult weather. BBC reported that three hotels in the Kiotari area were destroyed by fire, and 173 firefighters and five helicopters were on the scene. Affected locations included Laerma, Lardos, and Asklipio.

Along with the Greek coast guard, private vessels assisted in the island's east coast beach pickups. Additionally, it was rumored that the Greek navy ships were making their way to the tourist-friendly region. Rhodes deputy mayor Konstantinos Taraslias said the winds helped the fire grow bigger and reach tourist areas. This weekend will bring more oppressive heat as meteorologists predict that temperatures could reach 45 degrees Celsius (113F).

One of the leading meteorologists in Greece has predicted that this July weekend could end up being the hottest in the country in 50 years.
Numerous wildfires are still being fought by firefighters all around the nation. One of the worst-affected places is west of Athens, along with Laconia in the southern Peloponnese and Rhodes.

According to authorities, the chance of fresh fires is extremely high as the temperature rises. The following two days will be extremely hot, thus it is urged that people stay inside. Additionally, several tourist attractions will be closed, including the Acropolis of Athens.