A group of British teenagers taking part in an international sailing regatta were forced to take cover in their hotels and apartments as wildfires spread on mainland Greece.
The youth team of 25 sailors, aged 13-17, are representing Great Britain in the International Laser Class Association 4 Youth World Championships in Volos, a costal town in the east.
Running from Monday 24 July to Sunday 30 July, the event’s races had to be cancelled on Wednesday due to extreme heat and gale force winds. As the weather conditions intensified, so did the threat from wildfires.
“We could see the smoke to the windward side of Volos.”
Competitors, coaches, staff and their families then received mobile phone alerts from the Greek government.
“We weren’t told to evacuate but they told everyone to get back to their apartments and hotels”, Miss Anderson, a lawyer from the Isle of Wight, said. “I think most people were probably worried because you could see the smoke and flames. Then as it got dark it was about three to four km away.”
They were receiving hourly mobile alerts, shops and restaurants in the town were closed and there was the constant buzz of planes and helicopters overhead collecting seawater to tackle the blaze.
By about 9pm the danger appeared to recede and parts of the town reopened.
Races resumed on Thursday but the youngsters were pulled off the water early in the afternoon as the air quality was affected by the plumes of smoke from the wildfires.
“Today they were going to stay out on the water for three races but came in after two because of the smoke”, said Miss Anderson. “You could taste it in your mouth.”
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