It's not just climate change causing panic and mass evacuations across the islands of Greece - authorities now say some of the wildfires may have been deliberately started.
The Greek Prime Minister says the country's at war - and thousands of tourists are retreating.
Wild and increasingly worrying fires are spreading across the Greek islands. No longer just one but three islands are now ablaze as the usually blue bays of sparkling water are overwhelmed by a red and orange glow.
''Hell on earth. I never thought I'd be caught up in something like that," said evacuated British tourist Dane Hullett.
"Someone's going to end up dying out there, seriously, there are thousands of people still out there."
A holidaymaker's paradise has rapidly descended into a firefighter's nightmare. The water bombing is constant but still failing to meet the need as dangerous winds and more than 40C heat see flames ignite in an instant.
One fire leapt across the highway within minutes as already under pressure emergency services struggled to gain control.
Greece has been burning for a week now - and satellite images of the island show the extent of land scorched.
The Greek Prime Minister today declaring war on the fire, warning his country that they have three tough days ahead of them.
The blazes are being battled on Rhodes and now also on the second-largest Greek Island of Evia and Corfu where close to 3000 were evacuated overnight.
The inferno there is visible from neighbouring country Albania - a flicker made more sinister by suspicions of arson on the island.
Airlines are offering repatriation flights for the thousands of caught-out tourists. Flights from Rhodes International Airport were among the most sought-after in the world on Tuesday - and it's no wonder.
"It was a nightmare, people screaming, crying, carrying their little babies, little children," one person said.
Arriving home at the end of a holiday has rarely been such a relief.
