Wildfires threaten Turkey's fourth-largest city as southern Europe grapples with blazes
Meanwhile, firefighters elsewhere in the region, including Greece, Bulgaria and Montenegro, were also battling blazes fed by unusually high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds.
Overnight fires in the forested mountains surrounding Bursa in northwest Turkey spread rapidly, tinting the night sky over the city's eastern suburbs with a red glow. Dozens of severe wildfires have hit the country daily since late June, with the government declaring two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik, disaster areas on Friday.
Bursa governor's office said in a statement Sunday that 1,765 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast as more than 1,900 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed as surrounding forests burned.
A firefighter died from a heart attack while on the job, the city's mayor, Mustafa Bozbey, said in a statement, adding that the flames had scorched 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) around the city.
Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, described the scene as 'an apocalypse.'
By morning, lessening winds brought some respite to firefighters, who continued efforts to battle the flames. However, TV footage revealed an ashen landscape where farms and pine forests had earlier stood.
Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said fire crews across the country confronted 84 separate blazes Saturday. The country's northwest was under the greatest threat, including Karabuk, where wildfires have burned since Tuesday, he said.
Unseasonably high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds have been fueling the wildfires.
The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The highest temperatures for July were seen in 132 other locations, it said.
Fourteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir in western Turkey.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Saturday that prosecutors had investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, and that legal action had been taken against 97 suspects.
In Greece, firefighters battled active wildfires in the country's southwest and on the island of Kythera on Sunday, following a blaze that scorched the northern Athens suburb of Kryoneri on Saturday. High temperatures, reaching 38°C (100°F) or more, persist across much of the country, though winds have eased slightly.
In Kryoneri, 27 residents were evacuated overnight with police assistance after some initially ignored warnings. Authorities urged the public to comply with evacuation orders, warning that resistance puts both civilians and rescuers in danger.
The fire service reported three people hospitalized with breathing issues and one firefighter treated for burns at a military hospital. On the island of Evia, where another fire is now under control, media reports indicate large numbers of animals perished in barns.
On Bulgaria's southern borders with Greece and Turkey, as well as the western Serbian frontier, firefighters battled wildfires as the government declared the worst-hit provinces disaster zones. Residents across nearly half the country were issued with a code red warning, the highest level.
National Fire Service chief Alexander Djartov told reporters that 236 wildfires were burning, many fanned by strong winds. The government had asked EU partners for help, he added, and aircraft were expected from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Hungary and Sweden later Sunday.
In the southwestern Strumyani region, overnight blazes forced firefighters to retreat. They were reinforced Sunday by soldiers. Dozens of people fled their homes in the western Tran region as flames threatened villages near the Serbian border.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Weekend flooding in Lancaster damaged roads, apartments, businesses. What to know
Officials in Lancaster continue to survey damage after heavy weekend rains across central Ohio flooded homes and washed away sections of roads. The July 26 and 27 storms prompted rescues at area apartments and a dog boarder, officials said. They caused flooding that closed roads and displaced residents. The floodwaters began to recede early July 28, but officials were bracing for more rain in the forecast and the possibility of more flooding. Fairfield County EMA Director John Kochis was out the morning of July 28 with teams surveying the damage from the floods. He said they are working to assess damage and plan to seek a disaster declaration from the state. As of midday, he said about a dozen roads remained closed, mostly due to washed-out culverts. Kochis urged people not to drive through flooded roads, saying receding waters have revealed that some stretches of roads were washed away. "Now we've got pictures of, you know, 8-foot wide, just whole sections of road that are gone, and you wouldn't know that if you drove through it (while it was flooded)," he said. The American Red Cross established a shelter at the YMCA at 465 W. 6th St. in Lancaster for impacted Fairfield County residents. Anyone needing assistance as of July 28 should call 1-800-RedCross, the Central and Southern Ohio Red Cross said in a post on X. 'Slow-rising' flood hits Lancaster The storms that prompted the evacuations were part of a system that moved through the region beginning in the mid-afternoon of July 27. Kochis said some homes in the Lancaster area sustained significant damage. Most homes were damaged due to backups in the stormwater system. "In the areas that were impacted ... what we see is the stormwater system either backs up or could not contain that water," Kochis said. "So it's a very slow-rising type of flood." Several area creeks flooded their banks, resulting in flash floods. The Fetters Run, Ewing Run, and Baldwin Run creeks flow into the Hocking River nearby. "These are creeks or runs that are maybe a foot or two deep all summer long," Kochis said. "They could handle a normal rain event, but then one of these comes along every so often." Apartments flooded, concert impacted On July 27, authorities evacuated about 50 people from the Sater Village apartment complex on Sater Drive, Kochis said. The apartment complex is located near the Baldwin Run creek, and the rainfall overwhelmed the complex's private stormwater system. Kochis said all the apartments were evacuated due to concerns about the rising waters, but most of the damage is contained to just four apartments. Pamela Echard, 70, spent time the morning of July 28 sifting through her Sater Village apartment with her family to see what could be salvaged. Water seeped into her home over the weekend, soiling her carpets, soaking her furniture and causing her floors to bow. When she first stepped back inside, she felt terrible, she said. "I couldn't believe it because I just cleaned the floors before I left," Echard said. Echard's granddaughter, Deanna Hodges, said the apartment complex's parking lot was completely underwater earlier. One car was even pushed sideways by the flood waters. Water got into the interior of Echard's car, and it is likely a total loss, Hodges said. A worsening storm also forced officials to evacuate the Lancaster Festival on July 26. A concert was about to start that had attracted 4,000 people, Kochis said. In the end, the damage was limited to "some beach chairs and some coolers," he said. Kochis said the storms serve as an important reminder to residents to ensure that they have proper insurance in the event of a flood. The affected homes were not in a designated floodplain area, so they are not required to carry flood insurance, Kochis said. Some of the areas affected by flooding have lower-income residents. Standard homeowners' insurance policies do not typically cover flood damage. Many rental insurance policies don't either, he added. Some people may rely on nonprofits or "people that will help out of the goodness of their hearts," Kochis said. More storms across central Ohio in Monday's forecast Kochis said July 28 that officials in Fairfield County are on guard for more flooding. They are speaking to the National Weather Service on a sometimes hourly basis, he added. The NWS also has teams on the ground in Lancaster, Kochis said. More thunderstorms are forecast for July 28 across central Ohio, with high temperatures in the low to mid-90s, and the heat index will make temperatures feel like 100 degrees. Flooding threatened dog boarder During the weekend storms, one of the overflowing creeks caused flash flooding that ripped through the Finishing Institute for Dog Ownership dog boarding facility. FIDO evacuated after significant flooding, the business wrote on its Facebook page early in the morning on July 27. Lancaster police and fire personnel, and the Fairfield County Dog Shelter, worked to assist the business. The building suffered "significant" flood damage, with "creek residue" and mud in the parking lot and entry area, the business later wrote on Facebook. One dog, a 3-year-old tan and black dog named Scooby, escaped during the commotion as the business evacuated, according to a missing poster circulated on social media. The business received an outpouring of donations, including new dog beds and blankets, towels and cleaning supplies, the business said in another Facebook post. A resident with a skid steer helped move the dumpster back into place and scraped mud from the parking lot. "We are so blessed to have so many kind souls looking out for us," the business wrote. Dogs boarding with FIDO were brought to the Fairfield County Dog Shelter. The center said in a post on Facebook that pet parents could come to the shelter at 1715 Granville Pike to pick up their dogs. Columbus forecast, severe weather outlook for week of July 28, 2025 Monday: There is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. There will be patchy fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise it will be partly sunny with a high near 92. There will be a calm wind that will start moving southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Between 1/10th and 1/4 inch of rain is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Monday Night: There is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. It will be mostly cloudy with a low around 74. There will be a light and variable wind. Less than 1/10th of an inch of rain is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Tuesday: It will be mostly sunny with a high near 94. There will be heat index values as high as 102. There will be a light north wind. Tuesday Night: It will be partly cloudy with a low around 75. There will be a light and variable wind. Wednesday: There is a slight chance of showers, then there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 a.m. IT will be mostly sunny with a high near 92. There will be a calm wind that will start moving northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 50%. Less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Wednesday Night: There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be mostly cloudy with a low around 69. The chance of precipitation is 40%. Between a tenth and quarter of an inch of rain is expected, except more could fall if there are storms. Thursday: There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be mostly cloudy with a high near 81. The chance of precipitation is 50%. Thursday Night: It will be partly cloudy with a low around 63. Friday: It will be sunny with a high near 81. Friday Night: It will be mostly clear with a low around 60. Saturday: It will be sunny with a high near 82. Saturday Night: It will be mostly clear with a low around 61. Sunday: It will be mostly sunny with a high near 82. Public Safety and Breaking News Reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Lancaster Ohio flooding impacts dog boarder, more rain expected
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Turkey faces ‘very risky week' for wildfires
Turkey faces a 'very risky week' for wildfires, an official said, as blazes across parts of south-east Europe and the Balkans damaged homes and led to a huge firefighting operation that included evacuations. Nearly 100 people face prosecution over the fires in Turkey. Blazes erupted near Bursa, Turkey's fourth-largest city, over the weekend. A wildfire to the north east of Bursa had been largely extinguished, but one to the south of the city continued, although its intensity had been 'significantly reduced', forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters in Ankara. He also said a fire that has been burning for six days in Karabuk, in north-west Turkey, had 'been reduced in intensity', and a blaze in Karamanmaras in the south had largely been brought under control. A wildfire also erupted on Monday in forests outside the western port city of Izmir, where 11 aircraft were helping ground-based fire units and residents battle the blaze. 'We are in a very risky week,' Mr Yumakli said of the wildfires. In Greece, firefighters raced to tackle a wildfire that broke out on Monday near a university campus close to the centre of Athens. Water-dropping planes and helicopters buzzed over the city centre as they headed to the wildfire near the National Technical University of Athens, located in foothills ringing the Greek capital. In all, 11 planes and eight helicopters were reinforcing 110 firefighters on the ground, the fire department said. Police announced road closures in the area, including to the only highway that circles the city. A waning fire on the island of Kythera, which lies south of the Peloponnese, was reinvigorated by strong winds. Over the weekend, the blaze burned through around 10% of the small island's land mass, triggering the evacuation of several villages. A Turkish firefighting team of 22 personnel and five vehicles crossed the northern border on Monday to assist Bulgarian crews fighting a large fire near the village of Lesovo, which was evacuated. The blaze was one of hundreds across Bulgaria, the most severe of which was near the south-western village of Strumyani. The Interior Ministry described the fire as 'extremely large' and 'widespread', leading to 200 firefighters being withdrawn because of the effects of high winds on the fire. Several villages have been extensively damaged, with dozens of homes burned to the ground. By Monday, 269 fires had been extinguished in the previous 24 hours, the government said. Other European Union countries have responded to Bulgaria's requests for help, sending firefighting helicopters and planes. In several instances, the causes of fires have been determined to be carelessness by people, such as open fires and discarded cigarettes. Senior Interior Ministry official Miroslav Rashkov said that two people had been arrested for deliberately starting fires and would be prosecuted. Turkey has been fighting severe wildfires since late June. In Bursa, three volunteer firefighters were killed after their water tanker overturned, local news agency IHA reported. One died at the scene and the two others were pulled from the tanker and taken to hospital but died late on Sunday. The volunteer crew from the province of Bolu was on its way to the village of Aglasan, north east of Bursa, to combat a blaze when the vehicle fell into a ditch beside a rough forest track, the agency reported. Separately, officials said earlier on Sunday a firefighter died of a heart attack while battling a blaze. The fatalities brought the total deaths over the past month to 17, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed on Wednesday in a fire in the western city of Eskisehir. The huge blazes around Bursa forced more than 3,500 people to flee their homes. While firefighting teams have contained the damage to a limited number of homes across affected areas in Turkey, vast tracts of forest have been turned to ash. Unseasonably high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds have been fuelling the wildfires. Turkey and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean are experiencing record-breaking heat waves. The government had earlier declared disaster areas in two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik. Turkey battled at least 44 separate fires on Sunday, Mr Yumakli said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that 99 suspects faced prosecution in relation to the wildfires. In Albania, firefighters battled at least six separate wildfires on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. Two weeks of blazes have ravaged thousands of hectares of forest in the Balkan country. The areas most at risk were in the north east, where inaccessible mountain plateaus had water-dropping aircraft carrying out the bulk of the firefighting. In the country's southern region, overnight winds ignited blazes in the municipalities of Delvine and Konispol and in the Himare district on the Adriatic coast, which suffered wildfires last week. Authorities said that at least a dozen people were arrested over the weekend over the wildfires.
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Associated Press
Flash floods in Romania kill at least 1 person and force hundreds of evacuations
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Torrential rainstorms hit Romania overnight into Monday, triggering flash floods in the northeast of the country and killing at least one person, officials said. Hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes as Romania's rescue services deployed teams in the hard-hit counties of Neamt and Suceava. Helicopters and firefighters rescued residents, some of whom were trapped in their homes by floodwaters. Authorities said that 890 people were evacuated from Neamt County. First responders found a 66-year-old man dead at the bottom of a stream in the town of Neagra, according to the Department for Emergency Situations. Authorities also released images showing raging muddy floodwaters strewn with battered vehicles and other debris as well as damaged homes.
