‘Living hell’: Rhodes residents criticise response to wildfires

People on the tourist island fear the impact of the loss of summer trade after fires that ravaged businesses and homes

Anastassia Pissaka, a pharmacist, was sitting outside the blackened remains of a cafe in Kiotari, ready to volunteer in case local people needed medicines. Her pharmacy had survived, even as the flames completely destroyed the neighbouring business, causing what many in the local area view as needless damage.

Local people on the Greek island of Rhodes who spoke to the Guardian felt let down by their local government, which they considered too slow to react when the fires started early last week, with the result that when the winds picked up they spread into the populated tourist areas that fuel the local economy. The landscape was ravaged, some buildings were destroyed, and local people and tourists were evacuated.

“The majority of the island is supported by tourism; even if you’re not directly affected [by the fires], everyone is,” Pissaka said. “Our income is based through the summer season, let’s say six months. There will be a big problem if tourists don’t come back because how will we pass the winter? I don’t know what the government will do. We need support.”

She expressed a view shared by many local people: “The government did not respond immediately to Rhodes. The news only showed us the fires after the sixth day. My friends were calling TV channels asking them to show it. Here the fire was not stopping.”

The owner of the damaged cafe next to Pissaka, Giorgos Papageorgiou, was anxious about whether his insurance would pay out, and uncertain about the level of government support he could receive. His cousin had lost his livelihood, as he had failed to keep up with insurance payments and his restaurant had burned down.

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