Rhodes fires: Holidaymakers praise locals as wildfires rage on

Northern Ireland holidaymakers have praised the efforts of Rhodes locals as they faced evacuation due to wildfires.

The island has been battling flames fanned by strong winds for almost a week, with temperatures exceeding 40C (104F) due to the ongoing heatwave.

Officials say around 19,000 people have been evacuated from the path of the wildfires so far.

Tourists evacuated from hotels in Rhodes have been sleeping at the airport, as well as in sports halls, conference centres and on the street.

Bangor couple Bridget Davidson and her husband Robert, who were evacuated on Saturday, have returned to their hotel in Kiotari to collect their belongings.

However, they have been left in limbo after being told they cannot stay there.

Despite their holiday horrors, Mrs Davidson praised locals for their help during evacuation efforts over the weekend.

“Taxi drivers, bus drivers – everybody came to the aid of the holidaymakers. To be honest, they’ve been unbelievable,” she told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Ulster programme.

“Just local people have been unbelievable.”

Mrs Davidson criticised the “embarrassing” behaviour of some holidaymakers as they waited on a boat to evacuate them from the island.

She described pushing, shoving, screaming and fighting in the early hours of Sunday.

“All that these people were trying to do was help us,” she added.

Josh Booth from Belfast was on a week-long holiday in Rhodes with his girlfriend when he got a text from EasyJet advising them to grab essential items before evacuating.

He described the “panic” as families were split up as buses transported holidaymakers to a school at the north of the island.

Mr Booth spoke about how helpful locals have brought those evacuated fruit and water, and told them to “bunker down”.

He has now returned to his original hotel where the situation has calmed, but he said the couple’s suitcases were packed in case it changes.

Baroness Foster also praised the “wonderful” people of Rhodes; she returned from the island on Sunday.

Popular tourist destinations Corfu and Evia began evacuation efforts on Monday after fires broke out.

Deputy mayor of North Corfu Theofanis Skembris told the BBC the fires on the island are under control and believes everything will be over soon.

Around 2,500 people have been evacuated from Corfu so far, the fire service said. No houses or hotels have yet been affected.

Parts of Evia, located east of Athens, are also dealing with wildfires, with people encouraged to move towards Karystos.

Climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires.

The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to carbon emissions, experts say.

Speaking on Good Morning Ulster, the co-chair of the Belfast Climate Commission, Prof John Barry, asked what more it would take for people to “wake up” to the effects of the ongoing crisis.

“In many respects, those poor holidaymakers have been temporary climate refugees, having to be evacuated by the effectiveness of the Greek government, and also the kindness of the Greek people,” he said.

A number of airlines and tour operators have announced customers will receive a full refund for flights that have been cancelled.

• Jet2 have cancelled all flights to Rhodes up to and including next Sunday, but planes will still bring tourists home from the island
• Tui has cancelled all flights to the island until Wednesday, with passengers offered a “fee free amend to another holiday or the option to cancel for a full refund”
• EasyJet have cancelled package holidays until Wednesday, but flights to Rhodes were operating as normal
• Ryanair flights have also not been affected by the wildfires and are still operational

Richard Williams from the Northern Ireland Consumer Council said package holiday customers who wished to cancel their trip would be entitled to a refund if it is “impossible for that holiday to go ahead”.

Damian Murphy, chair of the Association of Northern Ireland Travel Agents, said those who have had their flights cancelled are entitled to a full refund, or will be offered a different holiday alternative.

A spokesperson for Belfast International Airport said the next flights due from Rhodes are on Tuesday and Wednesday and there is no disruption yet.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office urged British national affected by the fires to follow the guidance of the emergency services.

It advises in the first instance to contact airlines or travel operators who can assist with return travel to the UK, adding consular assistance would be available 24/7.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said citizens should “move rapidly out of any areas affected” by the wildfires.

It also urged citizens to turn on their mobile roaming to receive alerts from the local authorities.