Firefighters in Turkey have contained six of the nine wildfires sweeping through western Izmir province, officials said on Friday, after the blazes killed two people and forced thousands to flee their homes earlier this week.
Strong winds and faulty power lines have fuelled the flames, officials said.
“With the intense efforts of our forest heroes throughout the night and aerial intervention at first light, the fire in Cesme has been brought under control,” Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on X on Friday.
“Our intense efforts by air and land continue to bring the fires in Odemis and Buca under control,” he added.
‘Wildfire Hotspot’
Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed “a wildfire hotspot” by scientists – with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate.
Izmir governor Suleyman Elban said the main challenge was strong and shifting winds. “It constantly changes direction,” he told reporters.
Elban said nine planes, 22 helicopters and 1,100 vehicles were battling the fires across the region.
Two people were killed on Thursday: an 81-year-old bedridden man, and a backhoe operator who died while helping firefighting efforts, state media reported.
Elban said preliminary findings indicated that recent fires in the province, including those brought under control earlier in the week, were caused by power cables.
Mass Evacuations
At least 10 communities were evacuated as firefighters struggled to contain the rapidly advancing blaze, driven by powerful winds and soaring temperatures.
Both locals and tourists were hurriedly moved to safer areas as the fire threatened homes, businesses, and essential infrastructure.
This devastating wildfire forms part of a broader crisis sweeping across Turkey, which is grappling with a surge in wildfires during an exceptionally hot summer.
Authorities have reported a total of 77 wildfires nationwide, with 53 of them devastating dense forest areas.
The scale and speed of these fires have alarmed officials and environmentalists, as the country faces mounting challenges linked to climate change and extreme weather conditions.
(With inputs from Reuters)
