Evia on fire - 11th August 2021

Hundreds of residents have been forced to flee their homes on the Greek island of Evia. Wildfires are raging on the island after record temperatures.

Greece and Turkey have been fighting destructive fires for almost two weeks. Turkey has seen some rain; however, Greece continues to suffer the heat.

The wildfires on Greece's second largest island, Evia have caused much destruction to homes and land – Konstantinos is one of the locals trying to fight the fires.

Konstantinos Triantafyllou: "They burned us, they burned a paradise. They have no shame!"

Evia has been receiving help from the mainland and from the international community. However, locals criticise the Greek government for their lack of action.

Giannis Selimis: "We are in a tragic situation. We are left in God's hands. We do whatever we can with our own means. The state is absent."

The mountainous landscape and dense forests on Evia are helping to spread the fires and making the work of firefighters almost impossible.

Hundreds of people have already fled the island. Older residents have to be helped across the sand to boats waiting on popular tourist beaches.

Many, like Louisa, fear there will be nothing left for them to return to.

Louisa: "People lived off the forests, the crops, the olives, raising livestock and tourism. None of that is left now."