Turkey wildfires rage on, toll rises to 4
MANAVGAT: The death toll from wildfires on Turkey’s southern coast has risen to four and firefighters were batling blazes for a third day on Friday ater the evacuation of dozens of villages and some hotels.
More than 70 wildfires have broken out this week in provinces on Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean coasts as well as inland areas, President Tayyip Erdogan said, adding that 14 were still burning.
Planes from Russia and Ukraine helped batle the flames and another from Azerbaijan was joining them. “As of midday, with the arrival of the planes, we are turning in a positive direction,” Erdogan told reporters ater Friday prayers.
Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said fires raged on in six provinces and officials promised to bring to account anyone found responsible for starting them.
Villages and some hotels have been evacuated in tourist areas and television footage has shown people fleeing across fields as fires closed in on their homes.
Pakdemirli said fires were still blazing in the Mediterranean resort region of Antalya and the Aegean resort province of Mugla.
“We were hoping to contain some of the fires as of this morning but while we say cautiously that they are improving, we still cannot say they are under control,” he said.
Wildfires have broken out elsewhere in the region, with more than 40 in Greece in the last 24 hours, fanned by winds and soaring temperatures, authorities said.
Finland’s worst wildfire in more than half a century scorched the country’s northwest for a fith day on Friday, tearing through forests let dry by record summer heat.
Firefighters were brought in from across Finland to the remote Kalajoki river valley, with 250 people and four helicopters working to put out the flames, emergency responders said.
Strong winds blowing flames from treetop to treetop had made it the country’s second-biggest wildfire of all time, covering some 300 hectares and exceeded only by an outbreak in the same region 51 years ago. Greek authorities warned the public against unnecessary movement on Friday and said there was a high risk of wildfires during a “dangerous” heatwave that is expected to peak next week. Temperatures have been high in much of the country in recent days and are expected to reach 44°C next Monday and Tuesday, the National Meteorological Service said.