As many as 30,000 people were evacuated as wildfires threatened homes and hotels on the Greek island of Rhodes on Saturday. More than 2,000 were rescued from beaches, as flames threatened hotels and tourist areas. The fires had been burning for most of the past week but were confined to the island’s mountainous interior until strong winds, high temperatures and dry conditions swept the flames towards the coast on the island’s central-eastern side. Officials said the operation had been hampered by fires cutting off some road access. “The aim is to protect human life,” a spokesman said. People were being taken to gyms, schools and conference centres on the island, while firefighters battled the blaze. Three passenger ferries were moored at the port of Rhodes to accommodate those rescued. Coastguard vessels and more than 20 private boats were ­taking part in an emergency evacuation of people stranded on beaches close to Kiotari and Lardos on Saturday night, a coastguard official said. One British woman told the BBC she had to be evacuated from her hotel with her sister and daughter, but was now stuck on a beach with hundreds of others in the severe heat. The fire service said more than 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines were tackling the blaze, assisted by five planes and three helicopters, as well as firefighters from Slovakia drafted in to help. Tui, the travel company, said a small number of its hotels had been affected and it was moving customers to alternative accommodation as a precaution. Jet2 said it was asking its customers to follow local guidance. Meteorologists warned this could be Greece’s hottest July weekend in 50 years, with temperatures as high as 45C.