Turkey battles wildfires amid peak tourist season
During peak tourist season, Turkey is facing significant wildfires, with the risk of new outbreaks expected to persist for at least ten more days, authorities warn.
Nearly three thousand firefighters are currently battling the flames in Izmir province. The fires, exacerbated by strong winds and a severe heatwave, have spread to the outskirts of Izmir and a neighbouring town. At least 40 buildings have been reduced to ashes. Fortunately, residents were evacuated in time, and no casualties have been reported.
Two forest fires broke out on Sunday in the Yatagan and Ula districts of Mugla province, a popular tourist destination in the southwest of the country. Approximately 300 personnel are actively fighting the flames, with dozens of aircraft and vehicles deployed to the affected areas. In the past week, more than 130 fires have been reported.
At least one of the fires was caused by the negligence of two men, who have since been detained by the police.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chișinău issued a travel alert for Turkey due to the spread of the wildfires. Moldovan citizens are urged to remain vigilant in the affected areas, particularly in the western provinces of Aydin, Izmir, and Manisa, as well as near the border of the Kavaklidere region in Mugla.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
