San Francisco Chronicle

Thousands flee as broiling heat stokes fatal fires

- By Mehmet Guzel and Suzan Fraser Mehmet Guzel and Suzan Fraser are Associated Press writers.

BOZALAN, Turkey — Selcuk Sanli set his two cows loose, put his family’s most treasured belongings in a car and fled his home as a wildfire approached his village near Turkey’s beach resort of Bodrum, one of thousands fleeing flames that have coated the skies with a thick, smoky haze.

For the sixth straight day, Turkish firefighte­rs battled Monday to control the blazes that are tearing through forests near Turkey’s beach destinatio­ns. Fed by strong winds and scorching temperatur­es, the fires that began Wednesday have left eight people dead. Residents and tourists have fled vacation resorts in flotillas of small boats or convoys of cars and trucks. Many villagers have lost their homes and farm animals.

Overall, some 10,000 people have been evacuated in Mugla province alone, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Monday.

Sanli returned to check on his house Monday in Bozalan only to find that the fire had flared. “Property is an important part of life but life itself comes first,” he said as he prepared to leave once again.

Agricultur­e and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said crews were still tackling nine fires in the coastal provinces of Antalya and Mugla that are popular tourist areas. Other active fires were in the provinces of Isparta, Denizli, Izmir and Adana. In all, 137 fires that broke out in more than 30 provinces since Wednesday have been extinguish­ed.

“We are going through days when the heat is above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), where the winds are strong and humidity is extremely low,” Pakdemirli said. “We are struggling under such difficult conditions.”

On Sunday, residents were forced to evacuate the nearby village of Cokertme as flames neared. Some got on small boats and others left by cars as the fire got closer and closer — scenes that Ahmet Aras, the mayor of the nearby resort of Bodrum, described as “hell.”

Precaution­s were taken to protect two nearby thermal power plants.

An evacuation order was also issued for the town of Turunc, near the seaside resort of Marmaris in Mugla province.

The European Union said it helped mobilize firefighti­ng planes from Croatia and Spain to help Turkey. Planes from Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran have also been fighting the blazes. Spain said it was sending two waterdumpi­ng aircraft and one transport plane as well as 27 soldiers to help. A total of 16 planes, 51 helicopter­s and more than 5,000 personnel were tackling the fires, Pakdemirli said.

The health minister, Fahrettin Koca, said at least 27 people affected by the fires were still being treated in hospitals while hundreds of others had been treated and released.

 ?? Associated Press ?? Only the shells of homes remain after a wildfire ripped through the village of Kalemli in Antalya province. Fed by strong winds and scorching heat, the fires have left eight people dead.
Associated Press Only the shells of homes remain after a wildfire ripped through the village of Kalemli in Antalya province. Fed by strong winds and scorching heat, the fires have left eight people dead.

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