A large fire on the Greek island of Rhodes forced the authorities to order the evacuation of four settlements, including two seaside resorts, the Associated Press reported.
The fire had been confined to the mountainous center of the island in previous days, but aided by winds, very high temperatures and dry conditions, it spread to the coast in the central and eastern parts of the island on Saturday. Local media reports that the flames have reached three hotels, whose customers have already been evacuated, BTA reported.
Residents of four settlements were sent SMS messages to evacuate – in two settlements they were told to move to the north-east and in two others – to the south-west.
More than 200 firefighters and 40 fire trucks, supported by three planes and five helicopters, are on the scene. The force includes 31 firefighters from Slovakia, who have five fire trucks.
The main front of the fire is a triangle, with two of its points near the sea and one in the mountains. On maps, each side of the triangle appears to be more than 10 kilometers long.
Three Coast Guard vessels, as well as one Army vessel, are evacuating people from two beaches. Twenty private boats assisted, and the Greek Navy sent a ship.
The Rhodes fire is just one, the most dangerous, of several active across Greece, Artopios said.
