Poor Greece 🙁

Yes, it is very worrying.

I think the weather forecast is for cooler temperatures in that area next week and hope they manage to put the fires out asap.

It's awful. We have been to a few Greek Islands. They are so beautiful and the people are lovely.

We were in Lindos a short while ago, only left there 28th June, temperatures were not too hot then.

We have emailed the owners of the property where we have stayed since 2012, they say they are all ok.

DD and family are due to go to Corfu on Friday, so not sure what is happening for them, I don't think they want to go now. Hopefully the temperatures will drop soon. I have read that they think the fires were started deliberately! I hope this is not true, as cannot imagine what kind of person would do that.

Feel so sorry for everyone involved especially the people who live there and have lost houses and businesses.

I'm glad you're still thinking of going later on witzend as Tesco said Every little helps'

I heard the fires were started deliberately????
I hope not

Sorry Nannyjan just fully read your post

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.

I think I'd be inclined to listen to your Greek relative ronib
I'm probably mis remembering, but I think the Odyssey mentions Greece being be set with fires in the summer!

My son is in Cyprus I am very worried I was upset watching the news this morning.

I’m the same Witzend , I love Greece and it’s islands and have been going there for many years . I really feel sorry for the locals who have lost homes and businesses. It’s been awful for the tourists but they will come back to a home and a business.
And yes forest fires are common in Greece . And I will be going to Paros in September

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Not forgetting Algeria.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.