Greece fires – live: Blaze triggers massive explosions at air force ammunition depot
Plane fighting wildfires in Evia crashes
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
A wildfire has triggered a series of massive explosions at an air force ammunition depot in central Greece.
The depot was evacuated before the explosions, which shattered windows in the surrounding area. No injuries were reported, although continued blasts prevented firefighting teams from approaching the site.
Greek state broadcaster ERT said the facility is in the coastal town of Nea Aghialos near the Volos area.
The fire reached the ammunition storage facility about four miles north of the major military air base in Nea Anchialos. Local media reported that bombs and ammunition for Greek F-16 fighters were stored at the site
The fighter jets are reportedly being moved from the air base.
Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopios said 12 villages were ordered to be evacuated in the Volos-Nea Anchialos area.
Meanwhile, the blaze reached the outskirts of Athens, with 61 fires breaking out across the country in 24 hours.
Deadly wildfires[1] on Greece[2]’s mainland have killed two as wildfires spread in Europe[3] and north Africa including Greece, Portugal[4], Turkey[5], Italy[6], France[7], Croatia, Spain, Algeria and Tunisia.
Show latest update 1690502400Maps show the extent of wildfires in Rhodes, Corfu and Portugal
Extreme heat and billowing winds have created the “perfect storm” for fires to rip through swathes of land in Greece[9], France[10], Portugal[11], Spain[12], Gran Canaria[13], Italy, Croatia, Turkey, Algeria and Tunisia.
In Rhodes, one of the worst affected Greek islands, more than 20,000 tourists and locals fled from the blaze in “the biggest evacuation” in Greece’s history.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:
Martha Mchardy28 July 2023 01:00
[8]1690498800Watch: Wildfires cause major explosions forcing reporter to flee live on air
Wildfires cause major explosions forcing reporter to flee live on air
Martha Mchardy28 July 2023 00:00
[14]1690495206Human-induced climate crisis responsible for killer heatwaves sweeping planet, scientists say
Stuti Mishra reports:
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 23:00
[15]1690491606‘Travel advice from the Foreign Office is not fit for purpose for climate change'
Paul Charles, CEO of travel PR firm PC Agency said: “Sadly we’re going to have to get used to more incidents like this – wildfires in the southern Mediterranean are going to become more common, so the travel industry needs to rework its plans for how to deal with this sort of thing.
“Consumers will want more reassurance in the future about the hotspot areas that will mean airlines and travel operators will need to have better plans in place for dealing with these sort of crisis and that might mean more flexible refund policies, it might mean putting more resources on the ground in a destination over the summer period so that they’re prepared.
“I do think the Foreign Office now needs to conduct a complete overhaul of its travel advice system.
“It failed the industry this week because the advice didn’t change and also consumers were caught between a rock and a hard place as they knew they would lose their money if they didn’t carry on with their booking and fly into the zones affected.
“There needs to be a complete overhaul of the Foreign Office travel advice system – what it’s for, how it changes and it needs to be in consultation with the industry.
“Either they create a whole new system or the Foreign Office doesn’t do travel advice and creates a new code of conduct for airlines and travel operators to follow.
“It’s left consumers confused and worried about losing their money.
“The travel advice from the Foreign Office is not fit for purpose for climate change.”
The Foreign Office has not advised Britons to avoid non-essential travel to the entire island, while some travel companies are continuing to fly holidaymakers to Rhodes as they claim the blazes are not affecting the whole island.
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 22:00
[16]1690489810Today in pictures
A burnt hotel sign on July 27, 2023 in Gennadi, Rhodes, Greece.
(Getty Images)
People evacuate by boats during a wildfire at Nea Anchialos, near Volos, Greece
(EPA)
A farmer operates a tractor during a wildfire in Velestino, Magnesia prefecture
(EPA)
A fire burns fields, in Velestino, Magnesia prefecture, Greece
(EPA)
A fire burns fields, in Velestino, Magnesia prefecture, Greece
(EPA)
An aerial view of houses among burned land, as a wildfire burns on the island of Rhodes
(REUTERS)
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 21:30
[17]1690488006Wildfires ‘will clearly happen again’ and travel industry plans ‘need overhaul’
Wildfires in the Mediterranean[19] will “clearly happen again” and the travel industry needs to “rework its plans”, it has been claimed.
Paul Charles, CEO of travel PR firm PC Agency, called for an overhaul of the Foreign Office[20] travel advice system which left holidaymakers “confused and worried about losing their money”.
It comes after thousands of Britons have been rescued from fire-hit parts of the popular Greek[21] holiday island Rhodes[22] while others are having to cancel planned trips.
Jordan Reynolds reports:
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 21:00
[18]1690486206Watch: Good samaritan gives water to thirsty lizard after devastating wildfire in Turkey leaves forest in ashes
Good samaritan gives water to thirsty lizard after devastating wildfire in Turkey leaves forest in ashes
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 20:30
[23]1690484419Toursist face ‘uncertainty’ as holidays cancelled
Colin Spicer, 42, who had planned to travel to Rhodes with his wife and their two daughters, aged 11 and 15, said their hotel, the Rodos Princess Beach, had announced all reservations would be cancelled until the end of August.
He added that easyJet Holidays has not said if it will cancel or amend the package holiday.
Mr Spicer said easyJet has “not been very helpful at all given they’ve got quite a substantial amount of our money” for the family’s holiday, booked from August 22.
Addressing the company, he said: “Your hotelier is saying it’s not going to open, so you’ve got no option but to give that money back because you can’t fulfil the holiday to what we’ve booked.”
He said his family are hesitant to book another summer holiday while they wait for clarity from easyJet Holidays due to the “uncertainty” of whether they will be refunded.
The firm told PA: “EasyJet Holidays has cancelled package holidays to impacted resorts in the south of Rhodes departing up to and including 29 July and has proactively contacted impacted customers who are due to travel, and processed full refunds.
“We are also contacting customers due to travel to a small number of resorts that remain impacted in Rhodes up to 10 August to discuss their options.
“EasyJet continues to operate its flying schedule to Rhodes, however, we understand that some customers travelling to the affected area may want to change their plans.
“Customers who are booked to travel to or from Rhodes until 29 July can transfer for free to another date or can request a flight voucher for the value of their unused flights, by calling easyJet Customer Services.”
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 20:00
[24]1690482641Britons face ‘absolute nightmare’ trying to get refunds for Rhodes holidays
British tourists are struggling to get refunds for holidays to Rhodes after the island was hit by wildfires, with one woman describing her situation as an “absolute nightmare”.
Anita Madhas, 49, was scheduled to travel to Rhodes in early August with her 72-year-old mother in a group of around 20 friends and family, but they no longer wish to go to the island after their hotel, the Lindos Imperial, was partially damaged by fire.
Ms Madhas paid just over £1,000 for return flights for herself and her mother for August 3 to 13, which have not been cancelled.
She said: “That flight is scheduled to go out to Rhodes and I won’t get a refund. I only get a refund if that flight is cancelled.
“It’s just an absolute nightmare at the moment. I’m trying to get everybody to get some kind of transfer or refund, so that we can all rebook and go somewhere else.
“Even if we decided to change the hotel to a different destination on the island, there’s still no 100% guarantee that the hotel is going to be safe and our holiday is going to be what we expected it to be.”
Ryanair press office told the PA news agency: “Ryanair flights to/from Rhodes are currently operating as scheduled and remain unaffected by the forest fires.
“All passengers travelling from Tuesday 25 to Sunday 30 July inclusive to/from Rhodes can change their flight free of charge online via the website/app.”
A wildfire burns in Vati village, on Rhodes island
(EPA)
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 19:30
[25]1690480841Dangerous US heat wave pushes eastward, capping globe's record July
An intensifying heat wave descended on the eastern United States on Thursday, prompting warnings about the dangers presented by the sweltering heat and humidity in the final days of a record-smashing July around the world.
Some 180 million Americans - about half the population of the United States - are under heat watches and warnings, with temperatures and heat index values well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) in the forecast until at least Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
Officials in New York City, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and other big cities urged people to avoid working or playing outside, to drink plenty of fluids and to check on loved ones and neighbors.
“The next four days will be extremely hot - take care of yourself and the people around you,” Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said on X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter. The nation’s capital was expected to see the heat index, a measure of what the temperature feels like to the human body, reach 107 degrees F (41.7 C).
In Philadelphia, officials declared a health heat emergency until Saturday and created a phone help line for the elderly, opened cooling centers and increased homeless outreach.
Cooling centers have also been opened across New York City for those who do not have access to air conditioning. The heat index could reach 103 degrees F (39.4 C) on Friday in the most populous U.S. city.
“Heat is deadly, and climate change is making extreme heat more frequent and even more dangerous, especially for vulnerable New Yorkers,” New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said in a statement.
Martha Mchardy27 July 2023 19:00
[26]References
- ^ wildfires (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Greece (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Europe (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Portugal (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Turkey (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Italy (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ France (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690502400 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Greece (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ France (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Portugal (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Spain (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Gran Canaria (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690498800 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690495206 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690491606 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690489810 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690488006 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Mediterranean (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Foreign Office (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Greek (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ Rhodes (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690486206 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690484419 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690482641 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1690480841 (www.independent.co.uk)