A dad has been hailed a hero after he risked his life to save people from the raging wildlifes in Rhodes during an eight hour operation.<br /><br />Jonathan Lewis, 62, made six return trips in and out of the danger zone in his hire car - helping several families flee to safety.<br /><br />He had been holidaying with his family on the Greek island when the fires broke out at the beginning of last week.<br /><br />Around 19,000 people have been evacuated from the popular holiday destination, which has since been engulfed by flames.<br /><br />Thick plumes of grey smoke billowed from behind the mountain close to the resort Mr Lewis and his family were staying.<br /><br />As the wildfire moved towards the coastal regions of the island on Saturday (22/07) - Mr Lewis decided he had to help.<br /><br />The dad-of-two from Attleborough, Norfolk, said: "People were saying 'it's only a bit of smoke' and not to worry.<br /><br />"But I thought it was more than just a little smoke. And I'm not much of a fan of sunbathing anyway, so I thought I would see if I could help."<br /><br />Heading over the mountain towards Lardos in his rental car, Mr Lewis said it was like driving into "the end of the world".<br /><br />As he drove deeper into the smoke, he could make out beach bars engulfed in flames and more and more families moving away from burning hotels and bungalows.<br /><br />He stopped to pick up a fleeing family and drove them over the mountain to find refuge in a hotel.<br /><br />Mr Lewis said: "There were no rooms, but there were seats, phones, internet and power.<br /><br />"I saw some people getting their luggage and dropping it as they ran to the beach as the brush at the side caught fire."<br /><br />Mr Lewis said he saw tourist boats back onto the shores to take people to safety.<br /><br />The dad explained: "I picked up an Austrian man and he just burst into tears.<br /><br />"He told me he had put his wife and children on the boat as he watched it disappear into the smoke that sat on the surface."<br /><br />Mr Lewis described the "incredible" heat, saying that his rental car's thermometer had climbed to 45 degrees.<br /><br />He added: "The cyclical wind fanned the flames and made the fire so much stronger.<br /><br />"It was absolute chaos."<br /><br />After two hours of the ordeal, Mr Lewis said the army arrived, "but nobody seemed to be in charge."<br /><br />He said: "Buses were stopping and queuing a mile down the road from where all the people were. <br /><br />"So I kept weaving through car parks, getting as many in the car as I could, taking them up the hill and going back.<br /><br />"I just wanted to help people get out. It's common sense."<br /><br />Between noon and 8pm on Saturday, Mr Lewis said he made six round trips, picking up people along the way.<br /><br />At 1am on Sunday morning, Mr Lewis and his family were evacuated from their resort and luckily were able to find a new hotel room for the rest of their stay.<br /><br />They are now awaiting a flight home.<br /><br />Mr Lewis' actions have since been hailed as heroic.<br /><br />One said: "What a hero! Well done. Man of the moment."<br /><br />Another said: "Top bloke for jumping in and helping those families out. At the front of the pack, yet again leading by example."
