![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/rhodes-wildfires-holidaymakers-return-after-inferno/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0_EXCLU.jpg&description=Rhodes is "back to normal", according to locals and Brit tourists, after the Greek island was ravaged by devastating wildfires at the end of July, which saw homes and businesses razed to the ground Just two weeks after 25,000 holidaymakers fled the Rhodes inferno, a typically quiet and idyllic island that was ablaze and front page news across the world is remarkably back up and running and beautifully peaceful - or at least most of it is. 'Everything is back to normal,' three owners of major hotels, the island's governor and countless Rhodians told me during a visit a fortnight after the last fires were out. For around 85% of the island that is true. In the north and east of the island Aegean glistens, Zorba the Greek rings out across the famous harbour and the hotels are full. No fires or even smoke never made it over here, but still the tonal shift from raging inferno to island paradise in less than a month is remarkable. On a full easyJet flight onto the island passengers seemed to peer out of the window with extra intensity as we landed, presumably looking - as I was - for traces of the fire. On the east side of the island from Rhodes city down to the airport, everything appeared to be normal. Thankfully the speed of the emergency operation was so swift no one died in the fires. The worst injury was to a British man who hurt his leg. On Thursday there is only more normality to be found during the 40 minute transfer to the TUI Atlantica in Kolymbia and at the hotel itself, where cheerful British and German families filled their buffet plates high, happily ordered the signature tri-colour cocktail and settled in for a silent movie showing of Inside Out, headphones blipping red on the evening terrace. George Hatzimarkos, the cheerful governor of the South Aegean Islands, praised Rhodians' response to the blaze and made an impassioned plea to the British public to return to the island. "It is now absolutely safe," he told the Mirror. "When 25,000 people in less than){kind=link}
Rhodes is “back to normal”, according to locals and Brit tourists, after the Greek island was ravaged by devastating wildfires at the end of July, which saw homes and businesses razed to the ground
Just two weeks after 25,000 holidaymakers fled the Rhodes inferno, a typically quiet and idyllic island that was ablaze and front page news across the world is remarkably back up and running and beautifully peaceful – or at least most of it is.
‘Everything is back to normal,’ three owners of major hotels, the island’s governor and countless Rhodians told me during a visit a fortnight after the last fires were out. For around 85% of the island that is true.
In the north and east of the island Aegean glistens, Zorba the Greek rings out across the famous harbour and the hotels are full. No fires or even smoke never made it over here, but still the tonal shift from raging inferno to island paradise in less than a month is remarkable.
On a full easyJet flight onto the island passengers seemed to peer out of the window with extra intensity as we landed, presumably looking – as I was – for traces of the fire. On the east side of the island from Rhodes city down to the airport, everything appeared to be normal. Thankfully the speed of the emergency operation was so swift no one died in the fires. The worst injury was to a British man who hurt his leg.