Greek Wildfire Forces Evacuation of Over 10,000 Tourists in Rhodes

A wildfire raging uncontrolled on Saturday on the Greek island of Rhodes has burned nearly 40,000 acres of land, according to numerous reports.

CNN reported that more than 12 hotels had to be evacuated so far, with 10,000 tourists stranded. The wildfire has been burning for days, with firefighters struggling to put it out.

Yannis Artopios, spokesperson of the Hellenic Fire Service, said residents across four localities were told to evacuate, according to The Associated Press. Four coast guard and army vessels were deployed to evacuate people at two beaches.

One video posted to Twitter shows droves of tourists evacuating as the sky is lit up a bright orange.

Another video shows a tourist who said their vacation was interrupted by the wildfire evacuation order, as the camera pans up to reveal large plumes of smoke in the sky.

The Rhodes wildfire comes amid an unrelenting heat wave in Europe.

Late last week, the Acropolis in Greece closed down as Europe remains engulfed in a heatwave, with forecasts projected to reach high triple-digit temperatures. Bavaria, for example, hit nearly 102 degrees Fahrenheit this summer, marking the highest recorded temperature in the country this year, according to The Associated Press.

The heatwave, named "Cerberus," is being tracked by the European Space Agency, which warned of "potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe" in the coming days.

It's getting so hot that an association of public health officers in Germany has recommended that the country adopt siestas — mid-day naps.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.