Poor Greece 🙁

I’m in the north west. It’s been very wet recently so our moorlands are safe. Two years ago we had terrible moorland fires, they were deliberately started on a number of occasions. Fortunately easier to extinguish than those in Greece

In fairness I don’t think the situation on Rhodes was predictable when the fire was raging at its highest and was out of control. 30,000 people were evacuated, 5 people are known to have died, and it destroyed almost a tenth of the island. It’s hard to see that the media exaggerated how serious it was, and how quickly it could have spread further. People who weren’t affected were just lucky.

Tenko

Witzend

I’ve certainly heard of fires around Athens being started deliberately. Allegedly because developers had been refused permission to build, because it would mean destroying masses of trees. So (allegedly) they’ve started fires to destroy the tree cover, in order to make that reason invalid.

This was a few years ago now - we haven’t been back since before COVID.

Yes I heard a similar thing in turkey last year . There was a forest fire about 20 minutes drive from us and the locals were saying it was started deliberately to destroy forest land in order to build hotels, villas or apartments. Thankfully there was no wind and it was contained.

Sadly, a lot of fires are started by human activity, either due to carelessness or deliberately.

The fires in Canada are still raging. Some have now crossed the border into the USA.
People are being displaced and a firefighter has lost his life.

I think the press has gone over the top (as usual) with regards to the situation on Rhodes. I appreciate that things are bad in the South of the island, but the North has been unaffected (apart from an influx of displaced tourists and an absence of transport). Our daughter and her family arrived there last week. They’ve had no problems, apart from a lack of local transport because buses and taxis were busy moving people away from the fires. A lovely local gave them a lift back to their hotel. 😎

Witzend

I’ve certainly heard of fires around Athens being started deliberately. Allegedly because developers had been refused permission to build, because it would mean destroying masses of trees. So (allegedly) they’ve started fires to destroy the tree cover, in order to make that reason invalid.

This was a few years ago now - we haven’t been back since before COVID.

Yes I heard a similar thing in turkey last year . There was a forest fire about 20 minutes drive from us and the locals were saying it was started deliberately to destroy forest land in order to build hotels, villas or apartments. Thankfully there was no wind and it was contained.

The fire on Rhodes is huge, 35 square miles. It’s dreadfully sad, they must be praying for the autumn all over the Med. Not that the UK is immune, there are always moorland fires here in the summer too, it’s only a few weeks ago that 6 square miles were burnt in the Highlands. Maybe we should be grateful for our very average weather this month.

I’m going to the Pelion mainland in September. I love Greece, it’s history, hospitality and people. It’s no surprise to see returning distressed tourists praising local people for helping them with tour reps nowhere to be seen
I was on kephalonia a couple of years ago when fires on the mountains suddenly lept roads and were surrounding our accommodation within a short time. We were in a small village on the coast so headed to the beach and the six tavernas. The fires were skilfully extinguished
Scary times in the med

I have just returned from Corfu , there are often fire up in the hills and the Greeks know how to handle them.
With regards to CorfuThe British media have seemed to go totally over the top and what they are saying does not not compare to what the Greeks are saying on the ground
All I will say is the Greece is 90% dependent on tourism so please don’t turn your back on the islands ..

Greece has always had wildfires although this year it seems much worse, but possibly only making repeated headlines because tourists are involved.

I know it's a shame when a holiday is ruined and you've been through a frightening experience, but as others have said, it's nothing compared to the Greeks who have lost homes and livelihoods. A friend who had a house in the countryside outside Athens lost it to a wildfire several years ago. Very traumatic.

MayBee70

Witzend

I’ve certainly heard of fires around Athens being started deliberately. Allegedly because developers had been refused permission to build, because it would mean destroying masses of trees. So (allegedly) they’ve started fires to destroy the tree cover, in order to make that reason invalid.

This was a few years ago now - we haven’t been back since before COVID.

Someone told me that something similar happened in Croatia a while back.

Yes, wildfires are fact in Croatia.
We've been there when there were fires many years ago and it is devastating and scary.

It’s a sad irony that planes are huge contributors to the climate change that is causing these terrible heatwaves and subsequent wildfires. I don’t know what the solution is because these places need tourism to survive. Just like the Appalachians in the US who need to mine coal to survive, despite fossil fuels also being a huge contributor to climate change. I think we all need to fly less but the airline industry will suffer. All these economies will suffer. But ultimately if we don’t act eventually there won’t be anything to protect and the economy won’t matter any more.

Unfortunately it's not just Greece, Croatia, Sicily and Turkey are suffering from these dreadful fires too. And I see there has been an announcement this morning that the heatwaves are actually related to climate change. I think most of us sort of worked that out without the science.

My heart breaks for beautiful Rhodes and everyone affected across the country, so awful and likely to happen with more frequency if we don't tackle this damn dependence on fossil fuels

Freya5

What stands out for me, watching my local news,the self entitlement of some, no empathy for the poor Greek people who have lost everything, they've lost a holiday , but still able to go home in one piece. Although do understand the holiday reps have been useless, as per usual.

Absolutely.

Witzend

I’ve certainly heard of fires around Athens being started deliberately. Allegedly because developers had been refused permission to build, because it would mean destroying masses of trees. So (allegedly) they’ve started fires to destroy the tree cover, in order to make that reason invalid.

This was a few years ago now - we haven’t been back since before COVID.

Someone told me that something similar happened in Croatia a while back.

Not forgetting Algeria.

Witzend interesting comment about property developers - in England locals are puzzled as to how Victorian gardens can be bulldozed to make way for houses in what is supposed to be a Victorian conservation area. Also how do councils n England give planning permission for 3 x 2 bedroom houses only to end up with 4 x 5 bedroom houses with back gardens about 8 feet in length? I suppose preferable to scorched earth policy if that’s what is happening in Greece?

What stands out for me, watching my local news,the self entitlement of some, no empathy for the poor Greek people who have lost everything, they've lost a holiday , but still able to go home in one piece. Although do understand the holiday reps have been useless, as per usual.

I’ve certainly heard of fires around Athens being started deliberately. Allegedly because developers had been refused permission to build, because it would mean destroying masses of trees. So (allegedly) they’ve started fires to destroy the tree cover, in order to make that reason invalid.

This was a few years ago now - we haven’t been back since before COVID.

ronib

My daughter in law’s Greek father assured me that Greece always had fires. He was giving us a lift at the time and had minimal English. The gist of the conversation was that every year Greece catches fire!
The bit I can’t understand is why there’s not more forest clearance with cleared paths to stop the spread of the fires? A friend suggested wind would fan the flames anyway.

There is an area around where I live, that regualarly burns. The fire people say started deliberately.
Sometimes the fire jumps the road. Sometimes not.
Though it is possible I suppose that arson was started on the other side as well. But going by the pattern I would say not.

The arsonist has never been discovered. Locals used to point the finger at someone local. But he died. And the fires continue.
Once the fire has started, no one is left hanging around. So unlikely, the fire is also lit deliberately, the other side of the road.

You just feel so helpless with these sort of fires, they are very fast moving and just destroy everything in their path. We get them here most years and they are devastating. My daughter and her family lost everything in a bushfire except the clothes they stood up in , 10 years ago now but it has affected them in so many different ways and not just the obvious ones, either. I really feel for those people in Greece.

We are going to Athens in September. My Greek friend says the grass is so dry than a spark would set it alight. It's not unusual to have fires but they have been worse this year and of course it's a risk around the Med.

I love Greece and I’ve been fortunate to travel around that beautiful, wild, welcoming country over the past 43 years. I was on Kephalonia 4 years ago when fires spread rapidly. We had to leave our accommodation about 10pm, walk to the beach to safety. We were in a tiny village with 5 tavernas. They opened their doors for us. The Greeks were so hospitable and kind. Farmers brought pedigree dogs/show ponies down on bits of rope, their other animals understandably left to cope. Firefighters and locals were amazing.

I feel for the Greeks who as always, are helping tourists whilst dealing with disasters. Some fires are set but it’s so dry, the winds fierce and unpredictable, a casually thrown away cigarette can create raging fires

I’m going to the Pelion in September I hope

It's awful. I feel so sorry for all those whose lives will have been wrecked by these fires. The part of Turkey we visit most often was devastated by horrendous forest fires last year.