Firefighters battle blazes in Turkiye, Greece and Albania after days of scorching heat
ATHENS -- Firefighters battled to put out wildfires on Monday in three separate provinces in Turkiye, in Greece and near a tourist resort in Albania, stoked by strong winds after days of searing heat across the Mediterranean region.
Smoke billowed over the mountainous Black Sea province of Karabuk, some 200 kilometers north of the capital Ankara, as a wildfire which raged for a sixth day forced the evacuation of more than a dozen villages and burnt swathes of forests.
In the northwestern province of Bursa, three firefighters were killed on Sunday when their vehicle crashed, Turkiye's Forestry Ministry said on Monday. Crews fought to tame two separate blazes there on Monday, following the evacuation of more than 3,600 people from settlements in the southern provinces of Mersin and Antalya.
Turkiye has seen dozens of wildfires in recent weeks amid extreme heat, while 10 firefighters were killed last week battling a fire in the central Eskisehir province.
Hot and dry summers have been common in the Mediterranean region, but more intense heatwaves have contributed to destructive wildfires in recent years amid fast-rising temperatures across the globe.
In Greece, dozens of firefighters battled a blaze that broke out at the foot of Mount Hymettus in Athens near a university campus in the densely populated suburbs. At least 18 helicopters and aircraft were operating in the area.
In Albania, firefighters assisted by the army battled to control a wildfire before it reached the seaside city of Saranda and other tourist resorts in the south of the country on the Ionian coast.
Some 13 people have been arrested over arson-related offenses in the past three days, local police said.
Bulgaria deployed firefighting planes to help ground forces tame a large wildfire in a wooded southwestern area, while in Greece, several villages were evacuated and five people were injured in separate wildfires over the weekend under scorching heat and strong winds.
As Greece saw off its third summer heatwave on Monday, rainy weather in Serbia helped firefighters there bring more than 100 wildfires under control.
Reporting by Fatos Bytyci in Pristina, Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara, Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo and Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade; Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by David Holmes, Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
Smoke causing air quality concerns in Central Ontario
Air quality statement issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada, due to smoke blowing through the region Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECC) has issued a special air quality statement in effect for the region due to smoke. The statement was issued just before 6:00 p.m. in Simcoe County and according to ECC, the smoke is from forest fires and could remain in the area throughout the weekend. Visibility can also be impacted due to the smoke in the air. According to ECC, residents could experience symptoms from the smoke including eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, and coughing. Officials are also saying when indoors to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Smoke from wildfires triggers special air quality statement in Ontario
A haze from the western wildfires as seen from Waterloo Region on June 5, 2025. The long weekend may be a smoky one for people in most of Ontario. Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement at 1:28 p.m. Saturday, warning of poor air quality and reduced visibility. 'Smoke from forest fires is expected to continue to spread south into southern Ontario this afternoon and evening. The wildfire smoke may persist for much of the weekend for parts of southern Ontario,' the notice read. The smoke is billowing from wildfires burning in the Prairies. Environment Canada warns air quality and visibility could fluctuate over short distances and vary 'considerably' from hour to hour. People living in the effected areas, including Waterloo Region, Wellington County, Brant County, Perth County and Oxford County, were encouraged to limit time outdoors and consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor activities. The weather office said some people are more likely to be impacted by the smoke, including people aged 65 or older, pregnant people, infants and young children, and people with pre-existing conditions. Anyone working outdoors for long periods of time could also feel the effects. Some people may experience eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. Rare, but less common, symptoms include wheezing, chest pain and severe coughs.
CTV News
7 hours ago
- CTV News
Saskatoon fire crews battle grass fire
Saskatoon firefighters responded to a grass fire along the rail line from Wess Road to Highway 16 Eastbound. The fire was reported at around 5:18 p.m., on Friday, according to the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD). Firefighters rushed to the area, deploying two engines, two brush trucks, and two water tankers to combat the blaze, which spanned a 5 km area. The SFD says crews used handlines and brush trucks to bring the fire under control. Clavet Fire assisted Saskatoon fire with the incident outside of city limits. The fire was completely extinguished without any injuries to civilians or firefighters.
