Turkey battles wildfires for sixth consecutive day, 10,000 evacuated: Interior Minister

Turkish firefighters have been battling the wildfires for the sixth consecutive day to bring the blazes under control flared by the strong winds and the scorching temperatures. As many as eight people have died since the fires first started on Wednesday. As many as 10,000 people in the areas of impact have been evacuated so far. In the footage that emerged, the residents and tourists were seen fleeing the vacation resorts and were rescued in boats and flotillas. Many escaped on the cars and trucks as large scathes of forests charred. 

Many animals on Turkey's southern coast have been caught in the deadly fire, several villagers have lost their homes, farms, and cattle animals as they choked in the thick plumes of smoke. At least seven people were killed in the fires in Manavgat, Antalya Province, including a Turkish-German couple, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency. Two firefighters have lost lives in the response mission.

Speaking at a state press conference, Turkey’s Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that nearly 10,000 people have been evacuated in Mugla province. Several homes in Bozalan were destroyed in the flames.

“Property is an important part of life but life itself comes first,” Turkey’s Interior Minister stated. 

[Credit: AP]

A fire crew has been tackling a total of seven fires in the coastal provinces of Antalya and Mugla, which are popular tourist areas, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli separately told a conference. There are several active fires in Isparta, 380 kilometres (236 miles) northeast, and in Denizli province in southwest Turkey, he added. Blazes in Tunceli in southeast Turkey were contained on Monday. A total of 129 fires across the 30 provinces broke out and have been extinguished. “We are going through days when the heat is above 40 C (104 degrees Fahrenheit), where the winds are strong and humidity is extremely low,” Pakdemirli said. “We are struggling under such difficult conditions.”

In Turkey’s Bozalan, resident Esra Sanli witnessing raging fire in her village told AP reporters that there are no planes, no helicopters, as there are no roads in the village to lead the response mission effectively. “How is this going to be extinguished? How?" She said. Villagers herded the cows and sheep away from dangerous areas as firetrucks, with their sirens on made their way on the rugged terrain. People were forced to evacuate the village of Cokertme where the fires spread sporadically. Orders to evacuate the town of Turunc, near the seaside resort of Marmaris in Mugla province, were also issued. 

EU dispatches firefighting planes

EU meanwhile announced on Monday that it mobilized the firefighting planes from Croatia and Spain to help Turkey extinguish the deadly blazes. The crew from Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran has also been leading efforts in the burning regions. At least two water-dumping aircraft, one transport plane as well as 27 soldiers were dispatched by Spain to assist Turkey. Ankara’s President  Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government announced that a total of 16 planes, 51 helicopters, and more than 5,000 personnel were tackling the fires. 

[Credit: AP]

[Credit: AP]