Turkiye’s Mediterranean coast engulfed by fires as government declares 2 disaster zones
Turkiye’s Mediterranean coast engulfed by fires as government declares 2 disaster zones
—————————————-
New wildfires erupted on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast on Friday, prompting the government to declare two western provinces as disaster zones, Arab News reported.
Evacuations took place in Antalya’s city center and the Aksu district as the fire spread, according to the private news agency DHA. Firefighters faced challenges extinguishing the blazes amid strong winds that risked spreading the fires further, leading to the closure of a major coastal road. In Manavgat, another coastal city, homes were also under threat.
Local residents joined firefighting efforts using hoses and buckets, while helicopters and planes dropped water on the flames. Police water cannons and municipal water trucks were also deployed to help control the fires.
Since June 27, evacuations have affected 120 neighborhoods nationwide, with over 12,000 personnel, including police and rescue workers, involved in firefighting.
Minister Yerlikaya shared on social media that 311 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged during the month-long fires, and 85 temporary housing units have been established across three western provinces for displaced residents.
Turkey has experienced widespread forest fires since late June, resulting in 13 deaths, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed in a fire in Eskisehir on Wednesday, whose funerals were held Thursday. Above-average temperatures, strong winds, and dry conditions have fueled dozens of wildfires.
On Friday, new fires broke out east of Antalya in Adana and Mersin, while firefighters continued battling longstanding blazes in Eskisehir and nearby Karabuk. The eastern Mediterranean heatwave has also impacted Albania, where 1,000 firefighters and soldiers have been fighting fires amid temperatures reaching 42°C (107°F). In Elbasan, Albania, firefighters continue to battle a week-long forest fire, with additional fires reported near the southern border with Greece.
