A week-long wildfire has swept through the defenses on the Greek island of Rhodes today, prompting authorities to declare more evacuation operations, as three large fires broke out elsewhere in the country fueled by strong winds and successive heatwaves.

Recent evacuation orders were issued in southern Rhodes after 19,000 people, mostly tourists, were transported by buses and boats over the weekend away from the path of the fire that reached several coastal areas from nearby mountains.

Assistance continued to arrive from the European Union and elsewhere, with Turkish firefighting planes joining the efforts in Rhodes, where eight planes flew to drop water and 10 helicopters hovered above flames reaching heights of five meters despite reduced visibility.

Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakokianis said after a day when temperatures in southern mainland Greece soared to 45 degrees Celsius, "There will be a severe fire risk in several areas of Greece today."

During the night, evacuation orders were issued on the western island of Corfu, where over 2,000 people including tourists were transported to safety, as well as in Evia and a mountainous area in the southern Peloponnese.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis late Sunday to offer additional assistance, stating, "I contacted Mitsotakis to express our full support for Greece, which is facing devastating wildfires and an intense heatwave due to climate change."

In Rhodes, officials from the Greek Foreign Ministry were working at the international airport with several embassies and diplomats who traveled from the United Kingdom to assist tourists who lost their travel documents.

British tourist Kevin Evans was evacuated twice on Saturday with his wife and three young children, first from Kiotari to Ginadi, and then as the fire approached the island's northeastern capital.

The army is also helping to set up temporary accommodations in Rhodes, where schools and sports facilities have been opened to aid in this effort.

A relative respite from the heat is being experienced in the country today, with forecasts of a high of 38 degrees Celsius, followed by more elevated temperatures starting on Tuesday.

However, the weather is expected to cool down on Thursday, with low temperatures reaching the mid-30s, according to the country’s meteorological service on Sunday evening.