A seaside paradise resort in the southeast of Greece

Faliraki is known for its long sandy beach opening onto the Mediterranean Sea.

It’s one of the most famous tourist spots on the island of Rhodes,

So this is the dream place you chose for your week of vacation in Europe.

Early afternoon

Not the best time to sit under the sun, yet the beach is at its busiest.

The sound of chatter and music fills the air.

Then the chatter grows louder. You lift your head.

That’s an universal rule: it only takes two people staring in one direction for the others to follow.

That’s what you do.

People are pointing toward the hills to the south, just above the main town.

A thick column of smoke rises into the sky.

Some keep sunbathing, others stand up to take videos.

But the chatter grows louder

But the doubt fades when orange tongues appear

The flames are now clearly visible.

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1. What do you do?

A] You watch the flames to see which way it’s heading.

B] You decide to leave the beach immediately.

C] You ask the staff at the nearest restaurant for information.

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Within minutes, the beach grows restless.

Most people start packing up their things and leaving.

Whether you moved early or not, one important decision remains.

​

1. What do you do? A] You watch the flames to see which way it’s heading.

B] You decide to leave the beach immediately.

C] You ask the staff at the nearest restaurant for information.

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2. Which direction do you choose?

A] Toward the main village road

B] Farther north along the coast, heading to another beach.

C] Back to your hotel, to collect your belongings and wait for official instructions.

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Whichever way you went, the situation kept escalating.

The flames spread quickly.

Soon after, your phone buzzes with the emergency alert:

​“CIVIL PROTECTION ALERT
Wildfire in Faliraki area.
Evacuate to Kathara Beach.”

It is then, naturally the direction you take.

Once there, the beach is crowded as hell.

There is a sense of anxiety, impatience, and even panic among some people.

Minutes pass with no sign of evacuation boats or buses. This same impatience grows again and again.

Some start walking inland, hoping to find a car or a bus in town.

Others leave in their own direction, saying they know the area.

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3. Which option do you follow?

A] Stay on the beach and wait for the official sea evacuation.

B] Follow the group heading inland, hoping to find buses.

C] Walk along the coast toward a small port you noticed earlier during your stay.

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Finally, rescue boats approach the shore.

Slowly, they fill up, and the crowd begins to thin out.

The smell of smoke reaches the beach just as you step onto the boat.

You are evacuated.

🔍 Your Choices

Let’s review each decision.

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1. What do you do?

A] You watch the flames to see which way it’s heading. +1

B] You decide to leave the beach immediately. +3

C] You ask the staff at the nearest restaurant for information. +2

Of course you’ll watch the fire for a few seconds, it’s human.

But don’t let seconds turn into minutes. The moment you realize it’s a wildfire, you need to move in the opposite direction.

That’s it.

Asking the staff for information isn’t a bad reaction if you have no idea what to do, but now you do.

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2. Which direction do you choose?

A] Toward the main village road ​ ​ +2

B] Farther north along the coast, heading to another beach. ​ +3

C] Back to your hotel, to collect your belongings and wait for official instructions +1

In our case, the fire is above the main town, where your hotel is most likely located.

So going back there is out of the question. You don’t want to end up in the movie scene where the hero pushes against the crowd evacuating.

Sure, he always makes it out, but that’s a movie (and usually Dwayne Johnson).

Heading to a more distant beach is the best option, because beaches are the preferred evacuation points on island resorts.

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3. Which option do you follow?

A] Stay on the beach and wait for the official sea evacuation. ​ +3

B] Follow the group heading inland, hoping to find buses. ​ +2

C] Walk along the coast toward a small port you noticed earlier during your stay. +1

You should always follow official instructions.

People have spent far more time thinking about the safest way out than you did during the last 30 minutes of panic.

And you’re on vacation here, it’s not the time or place to improvise your own escape route.

⚖️ The Verdict

Add up your points and see where you stand.

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3–4 points → The flames probably trapped you
​ 👉 Your decisions exposed you to the worst risks. Toward smoke, traffic, or confusion. In a fast-moving wildfire, you will probably be dead.

5–6 points → You played with fire.
​ 👉 You took unnecessary risks. Maybe you would have made it out, but only with a fair share of luck, and that’s not a plan.

7–9 points → You put the odds on your side.
​ 👉 You made the right calls at the right time. Nothing is guaranteed when flames spread, but you gave yourself the best chance to get evacuated safely

📜 Next Week’s Historic Date

20 years ago…

On October 15, 2005, Hurricane Wilma unleashed its first gusts.