After a week, the fires affecting the Greek island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese archipelago, continue to gain ground. The region has been hit by one of the longest heat waves in recent decades – temperatures have exceeded 46°C in some places – an increasingly frequent and intense phenomenon due to global warming caused by our use of fossil fuels.
New satellite images, provided by Planet Labs, show the advance of the flames between July 20 and 23, as shown in the gif below. More than 40,000 hectares of land have burned, some of it in protected areas. Twelve villages were abandoned and the south of the island was placed in a state of emergency.
Faced with these fires, a gigantic evacuation operation was launched, moving more than 30,000 people, including 19,000 as a preventive measure. Gymnasiums and schools have been transformed to accommodate tourists or locals who no longer have a roof over their heads.
Other satellite images, also taken on July 24 and provided by the company Maxar, make it possible to visualize the extent of the flames, the plume of smoke and the destruction. The company specifies that the most active fires are located towards the southeast coast of the island, near the town of Gennadi.
New #satelliteimagery of the #wildfires burning across the island of #Rhodes, #Greece. SWIR (burned areas shown as black/grey) & natural color imagery collect July 23 & 24, reveals the most active fires are located along the southeastern coast of the island, near #Gennadi. pic.twitter.com/sgSJmgidOw
—Maxar Technologies (@Maxar) July 24, 2023