FIRE ALARM
Greece wildfire warning as Evia and Agioi are next resorts to be evacuated… see if your holiday is at risk
TWO more Greek resorts are being evacuated as wildfires sweep through the holiday destination.
Thousands of British tourists have been rescued from fire-ravaged Rhodes - with many more facing their summer holidays being cancelled.
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Holidaymakers have now been told to evacuate Agioi Theodoroi and parts of Evia, Greece’s second-largest island, after forest fires erupted in the areas.
In Evia, authorities have warned residents in the southern villages of Livadi, Potami, Pernaraki, Platanistos and Kastro to flee to the safety of the western town of Karystos.
Central Greece vice governor Giorgos Kelaiditis told state agency ANA-MPA: "The fire may be two kilometres (1.25 miles) away, but the wind is strong, the growth is low, the smoke thick and the air is hard to breathe."
Wildfires are also raging on the island of Corfu, off the west coast of Greece, and tourists have been warned of an "extreme fire risk" in Crete.
More on the wildfires
Some 20,000 people had to leave homes and hotels over the weekend as the inferno spread across Rhodes, after charring swathes of land and damaging buildings.
More than 2,000 holidaymakers returned home by plane on Monday, and more repatriation flights were expected on Tuesday.
Tour operators have also cancelled upcoming trips.
It comes as up to 10,000 stranded Brits wait for news after wildfires engulfed their hotels in Rhodes.
Most read in The Sun
Many have angrily accused tour operators of dumping them on the island while knowing it was being destroyed by forest fires.
Some have spent more than 48 hours in makeshift evacuation centres hastily set up as the inferno spread along the south coast.
Meanwhile, tourists off a flight to Rhodes after the pilot warned them it was a "terrible idea" to travel there.
The plane was just about to take off from Gatwick when the easyJet captain urged the 37 British holidaymakers on board to think twice about their trip.
THE NEED TO KNOW ON FLIGHTS TO GREECE
By Lisa Minot
THE Rhodes fires have seen tens of thousands of tourists stranded or fleeing flames.
The fearful scenes will have had a huge impact on those due to visit the island.
And news that Corfu and now Crete are also ablaze will be causing extra worry.
Q: I am due to visit Rhodes this week with a tour firm — what is the situation?
A: Jet2 has cancelled all trips to Rhodes until Sunday, and affected customers will receive a full refund or re-booking. Meanwhile, TUI has cancelled all trips until Friday and until Sunday for those visiting hotels in the affected region. EasyJet has also cancelled all package holidays until today.
Q: What if I booked my trip independently?
A: British Airways is running a full schedule to Rhodes but offers customers the chance to amend their bookings or postpone them free of charge. Ryanair is running flights as normal and anyone not wishing to travel will lose their money.
Q: Now Corfu has wildfires impacting tourist destinations, what if I am travelling there?
A: On Sunday, TUI told customers going to four hotels near the fires not to travel, but to contact the firm to discuss their options. As yet, other tour operators have not cancelled trips.
Q: I am going to Greece soon but the fires are a worry — can I cancel and get my money back?
A: Unless the Government issues official advice warning against all but essential travel to the areas affected, you would lose your money if you choose not to go on holiday.
He said travelling to the island for a holiday was a "bad idea", explaining return flights are being managed by the military.
Eight travellers, including a young boy in tears, took heed of his sobering words and disembarked the aircraft, BBC Wales reported.
Firefighters on the island are still battling the flames as thousands of people have been forced to evacuate burning hotels, with tourists scrambling to get home on evacuation flights.
The deputy mayor of Rhodes, Konstantinos Taraslias, said the fires are still burning out of control after seven days of fighting them.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
More than 16,000 people have been evacuated by land and 3,000 by sea from 12 villages and several hotels.
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