26 November 2024,   08:48
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Greece is on fire, forcing its largest-ever evacuation from flames

Greece conducted its largest-ever wildfire evacuation as flames rip through the popular vacation island of Rhodes. The 541-square-mile island has been burning since last week, and the blaze has forced at least 30,000 people to flee.

The south side of the island has burnt to the ground, houses have been burnt, business have been burnt.

But Rhodes is not the only place that’s burning - crews have been fighting more than 500 fires across Greece in the past 12 days, says Vassilis Kikilias, the country’s minister for climate crisis and civil protection, per CBS News. Two other islands, Evia and Corfu, also broke out in flames this week, prompting more evacuations.

Thousands of tourists took shelter in schools, gyms, airports and conference centers until they could evacuate by plane or boat. About 90% of those evacuated from Rhodes were from Europe, Stelios Kotiadis, a travel agent for the island, tells the Associated Press. Several travel companies operated extra flights from Greece to bring people home.

The European Union has sent over more than 500 firefighters, 100 vehicles and seven planes to help with the fight.

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