“Apocalypse” in Turkiye as Wildfires Reach Key City, Hundreds Flee

“Apocalypse” in Turkiye as Wildfires Reach Key City, Hundreds Flee
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Devastating wildfires, intensified by record-breaking temperatures and strong winds, have reached Bursa, Turkiye’s fourth-largest city, prompting the evacuation of 1,765 people and claiming the life of one firefighter, Al Jazeera reported. The inferno has scorched 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) around Bursa, with one opposition parliamentarian describing the scene as “an apocalypse.”

Since late June, dozens of severe blazes have erupted across Turkiye, leading to disaster declarations in western Izmir and Bilecik provinces. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli reported that crews battled 84 fires on Saturday, with the northwest facing the most immediate threat.

The General Directorate of Meteorology recorded Turkiye’s highest-ever temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday. Tragically, at least 14 people, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers, have died in recent weeks. Prosecutors have launched investigations in 33 provinces, taking legal action against 97 suspects as the nation grapples with the ongoing fire season.