Wildfires: How to set up emergency phone alerts for your holiday

Andy Wells
25 July 2023, Greece, Gennadi: At noon a new forest fire broke out near the village of Gennadi, in the evening the flames reach a first settlement, several houses are destroyed. Photo: Christoph Reichwein/dpa (Photo by Christoph Reichwein/picture alliance via Getty Images)
A forest fire breaks out near the village of Gennadi, Rhodes, as wildfires continue to burn. (Getty) (picture alliance via Getty Images)

With thousands of Britons rescued from fire-ravaged parts of Rhodes, the government has updated its advice for holidaymakers.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not formally advised people not to travel to the island but is advising those planning to travel to any areas affected by wildfires to check with their travel operator.

One of the ways in which people can stay safe while in areas with higher risk of wildfires is to enable emergency alerts on their phones, the government has said.

What is the updated advice?

Locals pull tree branches as a wildfire burns in Gennadi village, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes, southeastern Greece, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. A firefighting plane has crashed in southern Greece, killing both crew members, as authorities are battling fires across the country amid a return of heat wave temperatures. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Locals pull tree branches as a wildfire burns in Gennadi village, Rhodes. (PA) (Petros Giannakouris, Associated Press)

If you are in or near areas affected by wildfires, the government advises following the guidance of local emergency services.

In the case of Greece, holidaymakers should call the Greek Emergency Service on 112 if you are in immediate danger and contact your airline or travel operator who can assist you with return travel to the UK.

The government also recommends enabling the ‘emergency alerts’ option on your phone to receive the Greek government’s emergency alerts.

How to set up emergency alerts for your holiday

RHODES ISLAND, GREECE - JULY 25: Smoke rises as teams try to extinguish wildfires on Rhodes island, Greece on July 25, 2023. Some 19,000 people have been evacuated from the Greek island of Rhodes as wildfires continued burning for a sixth day, authorities said on Sunday. As many as 266 firefighters and 49 fire engines were on the ground battling the blazes, assisted by five helicopters and 10 airplanes. (Photo by Ahmed Abbasi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Smoke rises as teams try to extinguish wildfires on Rhodes, Greece. (Getty) (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Apple iPhone owners should go to the device settings and then tap notifications.

You should then scroll down to enable the ‘emergency alerts’ option at the bottom.

Anyone with Android 11 or higher should tap the settings option and then notifications.

Watch: Mother tells of family’s 'terrifying' experience fleeing fire-ravaged Rhodes

Once here, click advanced settings and enable the ‘wireless emergency alerts’ option.

For Samsung Devices go to settings and then apps, messages and notifications before tapping emergency notifications.

Users can then enable the ‘emergency alerts’ option.

How many Britons are still in Rhodes?

Ilias Kyriakou, 25, pulls an olive branch as a wildfire burns in Gennadi village, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes, southeastern Greece, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. A firefighting plane has crashed in southern Greece, killing both crew members, as authorities are battling fires across the country amid a return of heat wave temperatures. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Ilias Kyriakou, 25, pulls an olive branch as a wildfire burns in Gennadi village, Rhodes. (AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

As many as 10,000 Britons are estimated to be in Rhodes, the FCO said, with 30,000 due to head there in the next few weeks, according to The Times.

Thousands have already been rescued, with repatriation flights landing in the UK overnight.

Are holiday firms still flying customers to Rhodes?

An helicopter operates over a wildfire burning in Gennadi village, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes, southeastern Greece, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. A firefighting plane has crashed in southern Greece, killing both crew members, as authorities are battling fires across the country amid a return of heat wave temperatures. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
A helicopter operates over a wildfire burning in Gennadi village, Rhodes. (AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Many travel firms continued to fly Britons to the Greek island, saying many parts remain unaffected.

But holiday operators continued to cancel flights and holidays, meaning thousands could have their getaway plans scuppered.

Consumer champion Which? said some travel firms had “dragged their feet” and left holidaymakers to choose between travelling to a natural disaster zone or losing money.

It urged holidaymakers due to visit the island in the coming weeks not to cancel now as they may not get a refund.

Matt and Christina Gillmore, with their children Ivy Rose (2nd left), aged 12, and Emily, aged 6, from Sidcup, Kent, arrive back on an easyJey flight from Rhodes in Greece into Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex. Up to 10,000 Britons are estimated to be on fire-ravaged Rhodes, with repatriation flights to rescue holidaymakers landing back in the UK. Picture date: Tuesday July 25, 2023.
Families arrive back on an easyJey flight from Rhodes in Greece into Gatwick Airport. (PA) (Yui Mok, PA Images)

Thomas Cook said holidaymakers who “choose to do so” continue to arrive in other parts of the island, while easyJet said it had only cancelled package holidays to affected areas of the island.

Holiday firm Jet2 said it had cancelled all flights and holidays to Rhodes until Sunday and around 1,000 Britons in affected areas have either flown home or moved to hotels in unaffected parts of the island.

Tui had carried out five repatriation flights by Tuesday morning and has cancelled all flights to Rhodes up to and including Friday, with holidays scrapped for those going to affected hotels before and on Sunday.

Advertisement