Urgent holiday warning as Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca issued 'red alert' for 'extreme risk' of wildfires | The Sun

THE wildfire risk alerts have been raised to "extreme" and "very high" in areas of Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca.

The high temperatures of recent days have put the popular Spanish islands at risk, while large parts of Greece and Italy continued to battle vicious wildfires.

According to Spain's meteorological agency AEMET, the "extreme" red alert covers the southern tip and eastern coast of Majorca near to the main resorts of Magaluf, Palmanova and Santa Ponsa.

Ibiza and Menorca are also on "high" fire risk alert.

The scorching hot temperatures throughout the last days have turned Majorca into a "tinder box", firefighters told Majorca Daily Bulletin.

However, the island is reportedly well-prepared for wildfires with the fire brigade, planes and helicopters ready and waiting in the wings.

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It comes as Brit tourists were warned of an "extreme fire risk" in Crete as Greek authorities issued a red alert for the holiday hotspot areas of Rethymnon, Heraklion, and Lasithi.

The Balearic islands and Crete could be facing the same fate as Rhodes and Corfu, which have seen extraordinary blazes sweep across the islands – causing thousands to flee.

And in the popular Italian island of Sicily, Palermo airport was forced to close today due to fires burning dangerously close to its runways.

The airport in the Sicilian capital was forced to shut until 11am local time, its operator said on Twitter, as firefighters worked to put out a major blaze.

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Yesterday, locals and tourists were being evacuated from large swaths of Corfu as more blazes rip through the country.

Today, two more Greek resorts of Evia and Agioi are being evacuated as the wildfires continue to sweep across the country.

Holidaymakers have now been told to evacuate Agioi Theodoroi and parts of Evia, Greece’s second-largest island, after forest fires erupted in the areas.

In Rhodes, more than 16,000 people were evacuated by land and 3,000 by sea from 12 villages and several hotels over the weekend in the largest evacuation effort Greece has ever seen.

Terrified holidaymakers have been forced to flee burning hotels, wade through water and sleep on gym floors.

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said up to 10,000 British tourists were stranded on the island yesterday, many of whom are facing a "living nightmare".

Mercy flights finally began to bring them home yesterday — with more expected today.

But furious holidaymakers slammed airlines and travel firms for flying them to Rhodes in the first place.

Weather experts have declared 2023 an El Niño year – a natural phenomenon that occurs cyclically and causes fluctuations in the global climate.

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The UN’s World Meteorological Organization said it will raise temperatures around the world, and the effect is likely to continue for the rest of the year.

And despite the heat this summer, Europe's record temperature of 48.8C – recorded in 2021 in Sardinia, Sicily – has not been reached and is currently not forecast to be broken.

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