Long-standing wildfires reached Turkey’s fourth-largest city on Sunday, leading to the evacuation of 1,700 people and the death of another firefighter.
The fires affected Bursa, located in Turkey’s northwest, where authorities reported relocating 1,765 residents and mobilizing approximately 1,900 firefighters to battle the inferno. The widespread fire has already consumed more than 7,000 acres and was responsible for the death of one firefighter, who suffered a heart attack while on duty.
According to Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli, firefighting teams nationwide responded to 84 distinct fires on Saturday. He stated that the country’s northwest faced the most significant danger, particularly Karabuk, which has been experiencing wildfires since Tuesday.
The General Directorate of Meteorology reported that Turkey experienced its highest recorded temperature of 122.9 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday in the southeastern province of Sirnak.
Over recent weeks, a total of fourteen fatalities have been reported, including ten rescue volunteers and forestry personnel who perished on Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir, western Turkey.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced late Saturday that prosecutors have investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, leading to legal proceedings against 97 individuals.
These widespread fires have posed a risk of spreading across borders into neighboring Greece and Bulgaria.
Alexander Djartov, head of Bulgaria’s National Fire Service, confirmed that assistance has been sought from European Union partners to combat the wildfires. He added that aircraft from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Hungary, and Sweden were anticipated to arrive later on Sunday.
Furthermore, the military has been deployed to bolster fatigued firefighters in numerous affected regions.