The largest evacuation attempt in Greek history, according to officials, was launched when a massive wildfire ravaging the Greek island of Rhodes prompted hundreds of tourists to leave their hotels.

Those who were engulfed in the flames described chaotic and terrifying scenes, with others forced to evacuate on foot or by other means after being ordered to do so.

Since Tuesday, a wildfire has been blazing in the center and southern regions of Rhodes, a very well-liked island among tourists. It is the biggest of several fires that have broken out in Greece, which is burning as a result of a heat wave that experts predict will end up being the nation's longest on record.

A British visitor to Rhodes named Amy Leyden claimed she received a warning to leave her hotel right now or she and her family "would not make it."

"It was just terrifying," she said to Sky News. "We were walking down the road at two in the morning and the fire was catching up with us. We've got our 11-year-old daughter with us."

Belgian traveler Cedric Guisset left Saturday without knowing where he was going. "We told the hotel about the messages we had received on our phones to evacuate the area, but they didn't even know about it," he said, according to public radio station RTBF.

We essentially only brought our identification cards, water, and a face- and head-covering.

According to the Greek government, over 19,000 residents of Rhodes have been evacuated since Saturday.

The operation, which the government referred to as "the largest such effort Greece has ever seen," involved the transportation of 16,000 people—tourists and locals—by land and 3,000 by sea.

The middle and southern regions of the island are where firefighters are presently concentrating their efforts on three active fronts, according to the local fire department.

Nearby Kiotari and Lardos, not far from the Lindos archaeological site, is where the fire is currently raging. So far, there hasn't been a threat to the site.

To accommodate evacuees in need, hotels, schools, sports facilities, and conference centers have been set up in secure areas of the island.

According to the Greek government, the foreign ministry of Greece would establish a special hotline to assist travelers as they travel back to their home countries. Additionally, charter flights have been directed to land in Rhodes without passengers by tour operators "to pick up travelers who wish to leave the island," it claimed.

According to fire officials, eight persons have been admitted to hospitals with respiratory issues.

All trips and vacation packages to Rhodes were canceled by the British airline Jet2 on Sunday.