UPDATE – Wildfires on Greece's Corfu island seemingly resulted from arson, says mayor

CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE; ADDS MORE DETAILS

By Ayhan Mehmet

KOMOTINI, Greece (AA) – The wildfires on Greece's Corfu island were possibly caused by arsonists, the mayor said Monday.

Corfu Mayor Yorgos Mahimaris told local media that an arsonist seemingly started the fire.

Evacuations began on Greece's Corfu island late on Sunday as firefighters tackled wildfires.

The Greek Fire Service said that 12 residential areas were evacuated in Corfu with tourists being taken to the village of Kassiopi.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis before the parliament on Monday described the fight against the fire on Rhodes island as "war."

"We are at war. We will rebuild what we lost, and cover the damages. Protecting human lives should be our priority," he said.

Devastating wildfires continue to sweep through the Greek islands for the sixth consecutive day, including Rhodes, a tourist hotspot. Several countries, including Türkiye, have reached out to help Greece in extinguishing the flames that have burned houses and forests.

The country recorded the hottest day on Sunday in the southern town of Gytheio with 46.4C (115.5F) since 2006, the daily Kathimerini reported citing the National Observatory of Athens.

* Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara