Corfu wildfires

- July 2023

When we bought our new home on the beautiful island of Corfu, to say it was a little impulsive is a fair assessment. We had only visited the island once before on a family holiday, the second time was for a short 4 day 'house viewing' trip, where we fell in love with our villa and subsequently put in an offer. We tried to do as much research as possible before buying the villa and making the full-time move to Corfu but our research was predominately around residency permits, pet relocation and finding the best removal companies. It did not stretch to the actual day to day of life in Corfu. Things like how to navigate a HUGE renovation abroad, how to adapt to life a foreign country or practical things like where to collect our post from and more serious issues like the annual danger of wild fires.

We realise thanks to global warming, the subsequent extreme summer temperatures combined with an abundance of fuel on the island, aka olive trees, that wild fires are becoming a growing threat in the summer months here in Corfu, like in many other parts of the Mediterranean. We had a vague awareness of the possibility of wildfires here but it really wasn't something that we were concerned about, despite our home having a beautiful backdrop of tree covered Corifot mountains.

That all changed at the end of July, when wildfires started in numerous different locations throughout Corfu. It has been suggested that the fires in Corfu were started deliberately, which is absolutely heartbreaking and incomprehensible. Why would anyone deliberately do this to the beautiful island but also to their neighbours, local businesses, homes and animals?! It was agonising to watch the devastation from wildfires in Rhodes that had started the previous week, then to see it affecting the island we now call home.

In March 2020 I volunteered with my sister Bea following the devastating wildfires in Australia for Blazed Cobargo. I have seen first-hand the catastrophic aftermath of fire destruction to homes, farms and communities there. The fires in Corfu thankfully were no where near that scale. On the 26th of July, the fire spread to our little village in the North and we could no longer just see smoke and the glow from the fire in neighbouring areas but flames working their way down the hill behind our home. We felt so hopeless and underprepared.

We were watching the hill, tracking the fire as it came closer to our village and the villa. Our neighbours started to cut the trees and plants away from the outside of their houses. We didn't even know where to begin. We haven't yet started sorting the garden, it is a wasteland of building rubble, unkempt trees and sprawling brambles. I use to look at it and think "gosh what a mess! That can be a winter project", but then all I could see was everything that could burn.

We cleared everything we could from the outside of the villa and annexe, bringing everything into the main villa from the terrace. Other parts of the island had been evacuated and we knew if we had to, we would get a warning text message from the government with information on when to leave and where to go. With one dog and three cats we knew we needed to be prepared. We brought all the animals inside and had the crates and carriers by the door ready to go if we needed to evacuate quickly. We spent all night stood watching the fire progress down the hill. Using a damp towel to cover our mouths for the smoke.

At night the fires picked up as the planes and helicopters dumping water could not fly at night. The village was packed full of cars and people. Blue and red lights lit up the local olive press where some of the first responders were stationed directing fire trucks and volunteers. We felt so inadequate watching as local volunteers, men with trucks, lads on motorbikes, police, firefighters and the Army all went up the hill to try and fight the blaze. We asked our neighbours what can we do to help? They just said nothing we watch and wait, we need to stay together. I have never been so frightened or so disappointed in my level of the Greek language. I do lessons twice a week and can get by with general chit chat, shopping and in restaurants but I didn't the vocabulary for this situation. This and the sheer unpredictability of the fires meant Joe and I felt hopeless, exhausted and terrified.

The fires were put out completely over a 12 day period and life has returned to normal. The scorched trees and bushes between Kalamaki and Kassiopi, in Loutes, Old Perithia, around Lafki, Agios Martino and other effected areas in Corfu are beginning to sprout new green shoots. As the weather cools for Autumn I wanted to reflect on this summer and how amazing it was to see everyone come together to help, to read the words of support and offers of help in the news and Facebook forums. To see how bravely and tirelessly everyone from the firefighters, the pilots flying the water planes and helicopters, to the local volunteers, all worked to keep the fire from causing damage to homes and lives. I feel so proud of the people here, their resilience, community and I am so grateful to them all.

- Σας ευχαριστούμε

- Thank you x