Turkey travel chaos as airport shuts down due to raging wildfires ripping through hols hotspot with hundreds evacuated
TRAVEL chaos has erupted in a Turkish holiday hotspot after raging wildfires blazed across the region and sparked mass evacuations.
The terrifying inferno ripped through the tourist resort of Foça, İzmir, before it was fanned by strong winds and tore through neighbourhoods.
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Chilling images showed the extent of the fires which ravaged local communities and engulfed forests in flames.
Planes were seen dumping large supplies of water over fiery infernos in order to combat the blazes.
And local residents watched in horror as their homes were torched up and forestry continued to burn.
Aftermath photos showed scorched cars and buildings while firefighters worked desperately to fight the flames.
Flights have now been suspended at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport following the raging wildfires.
Ongoing extinguishing efforts prevented jets from taking off or landing at the airport as of 4pm local time.
Flights scheduled to land at İzmir were reportedly diverted amid the travel mayhem.
And hundreds have been left stranded following the major disruption.
Brave firefighters spent 22 gruelling hours fighting the vicious blaze across İzmir.
The lengthy operation reportedly involved 625 personnel, six helicopters, 46 fire engines, 9 bulldozers, and 13 water supply vehicles.
Holiday warning as wildfire is raging at Greek island forcing evacuations
Hundreds were evacuated form their houses - with 550 residents forced out of some 175 homes in Ilıpınar, Foça.
Four firefighters were also affected by smoke poisoning, two of whom were hospitalised.
The exact cause of the fire is currently unknown.
But preliminary findings suggest the inferno may have been caused by a high-voltage power line.
The governor of the province, Süleyman Elban, cautioned the population to exercise extreme caution in the next few days.
He said low humidity and high temperatures would aggravate the risk of more fires.
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The governor said: "We expect the next four or five days to be very hot, with strong winds and low humidity. These conditions are perfect for a fire.
"Everyone's life is at stake. We must all be extremely cautious."
Wildfires were also reported in Sakarya, Bilecik, and Manisa this week.
Environment Minister Murat Kurum said in Bilecik, 23 houses and 47 units in 3 villages were destroyed in the forest fires, whilst 41 houses and 25 barns and warehouses were severely damaged.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, said: "Nine major fires broke out in İzmir, Denizli, Aydın and Manisa.
"The fire in Manisa started again due to wind.
"Four villages and two neighbourhoods were evacuated due to the fire."
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning to Brit holidaymakers as 'suffocating' 46C European heatwave triggers invasion of venomous sea creatures in the Med - as hunt continues for UK tourist missing on Greek island
Rising temperatures across Europe are bringing venomous invasive species to coastal waters around tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, authorities have warned as the continent grapples with a deadly heatwave. The Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) urged tourists and fishermen to report sightings of four 'potentially dangerous' species this week, citing nearly two thousand recorded appearances in the region. The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot and marbled spinefoot are beginning to appear in waters off southern Italy as the Mediterranean warms, it said. The Ionian Sea is now one of the most vulnerable areas to lionfish, which carry spines causing 'extremely painful strings'. The silver-cheeked toadfish contains a highly toxic neurotoxin and wields powerful teeth 'capable of inflicting serious bites'. A punishing heatwave continued to devastate Europe on Monday, with authorities also battling wildfires from France to Turkey, and temperatures on course to rise further still. The heat is expected to extend north and across other parts of western Europe early this week, with Paris on course for 39C and London receiving 35C today - the hottest day of the year so far. Sweltering temperatures reached highs of 46C in Spain and exceeded 40C across much of southern Europe over the weekend, with firefighters rallying to tackle blazes across the drying continent. Tourists told the AFP news agency that they were 'suffocating at night' in the sweltering Venetian heat on Saturday, with no wind and a lot of humidity. Severe heat was recorded in Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal, with locals and tourists alike taking shelter from the conditions. 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A woman died after finishing her shift as a street sweeper in Barcelona on Saturday, with authorities still investigating the cause. In Italy, a few regions were planning to ban some outdoor work activities during the hottest hours of the day in response to the record-high temperatures. Trade unions pushed the government to expand such measures at a national level. The Italian Health Ministry placed 21 out of 27 monitored cities under its highest heat alert, including top holiday destinations like Rome, Milan and Naples. It said it had reported a spike in heatstroke cases, mostly affecting the elderly, cancer patients and homeless people. Pensioners were told to find shelter in museums and pools as the heatwave continues to grip the nation. In Milan, one of the giant Generali signs that crown the Italian insurer's 192 metre head offices collapsed on Monday, at risk of crashing to the ground, firefighters said. Generali said that the possible causes of the incident were being assessed. One hypothesis is that the steel beams holding up the sign broke. Local media has pointed to high temperatures in the city'. The summer's first major heatwave has seen authorities in the countries along the Mediterranean's northern coast urging people to seek shelter. Ambulances stood on standby near tourist hotspots as experts warned that such heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. In Barcelona, a 51-year-old woman named locally as Montserrat A. died shortly after finishing work in the midst of a heatwave. Barcelona City Council confirmed the incident, though has not confirmed whether the death was heat related. An autopsy will confirm whether her death was related to the heat or another cause. Union sources said she was working in the Raval neighbourhood from around 2pm until 9pm, some of the hottest hours in the city, El Pais reports. She died at home shortly after finishing her shift. Firefighters were on standby after blazes broke out Sunday in France and Turkey, fed by the heat and strong winds. Already last week, Greek firefighters had to battle a forest blaze on the coast south of Athens that forced some evacuations. The south of France dealt with an inferno of its own over the weekend as a huge blaze broke out in Aude, near Toulouse, burning through some 400 hectares of land. Authorities believe the fire was caused by a poorly extinguished barbecue, and a suspect has been arrested. 'This is unprecedented,' Agnes Pannier-Runacher, France's ecology transition minister said as a record 84 of the nation's 96 mainland departments were placed on the second-highest 'orange' heat alert. Only a small sliver of the country in the northwest was not sweltering, according to the Meteo France weather service, which said the heatwave was due to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday. Agnès Pannier-Runacher, The French Minister for Ecological Transition, told Sud Radio that there were 44 million people nationwide living in 'heat islands', where the temperature could be as much as 4 or 5C higher than the measured temperature. The heat island effect means built-up areas are often much hotter than nearby rural areas due to human-made surfaces that absorb the heat, like buildings and roads. Densely populated city areas can be as much as 12C warmer than the surrounding countryside. Dr Radhika Khosla, Associate Professor at the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment, University of Oxford, said: 'Populations in urban areas like London are particularly susceptible to extreme heat as the concrete and asphalt absorb and re-emit the sun's radiation, amplifying its impact on our bodies. 'For this reason, outdoor workers are particularly at risk and should take regular breaks to hydrate in the shade.' To the east, Greece and Turkey have been hit hard by wildfires, causing chaos for tourists as hundreds of passengers were left stranded. A huge fire ripped through the popular resort of Foça, İzmir, in Turkey before strong winds fanned the flames and sent it towards neighbourhoods and residential areas. One suspect has been accused of starting the fire when they allegedly set fire to their own house, and tinder-dry conditions saw the blaze spread at pace. In the wake of the fire in Turkey, flights at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport had closed temporarily as of 4pm local time on Sunday. Hundreds of passengers have now been left stranded as a result of the blazes. Alvaro Iturmendi, travel insurance expert at said that in light of the wildfires, 'several airlines are adjusting their schedules'. 'This mix of cancellations and ongoing services may leave many travellers uncertain about their upcoming trips. 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Around 550 residents were evacuated from some 175 homes in Ilıpınar, Foça. Four firefighters were reportedly affected by smoke poisoning, with two of them taken to hospital. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown. Another suggestion is that the fire may have been caused by a high-voltage power line. Governor Süleyman Elban urged residents to be cautious over the next few days. He said low humidity and high temperatures could lead to more fires. The governor said: 'We expect the next four or five days to be very hot, with strong winds and low humidity. These conditions are perfect for a fire. 'Everyone's life is at stake. We must all be extremely cautious.' Wildfires were also reported in Kahramanmaraş, Bursa, Sakarya, Bilecik, Gaziantep, Bolu and Manisa this week. Environment Minister Murat Kurum said 23 houses and 47 units in 3 villages were destroyed in forest fires in Bilecik, while 41 houses and 25 barns and warehouses were also severely damaged. 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Hot across southeast England in particular with temperatures reaching 34 Celsius.' The toasty temperatures will threaten the UK's June record of 35.6C - set in the famously hot summer of 1976. It comes after fires devastated towns in Greece, where some regions have had to declare a state of emergency. On Thursday, a violent forest fire devastated several seaside towns east of Athens, damaging homes and prompting dozens of evacuations in a popular destination for Greek and foreign tourists. The fire broke around 12.30pm local time (9.30am UK time) near the towns of Palaia Fokaia and Thymari, around 30 miles east of Athens, and forced the evacuation of five villages, according to Greek firefighters. It comes on the heels of another fire on the island of Chios - Greece's fifth-largest island - which as of Wednesday had destroyed more than 10,000 acres of land in four days. Temperatures reached up to 40 degrees Celsius in the Athens region on Thursday, with forecasts indicating that the heatwave could continue until Saturday. In the previous 24 hours, 45 fires had broken out in Greece, firefighters said. Earlier this week, hundreds of firefighters backed up by aircraft were battling a wildfire burning out of control for the three days on the Greek island of Chios. Towering walls of flames tore through forest and agricultural land on the island as reinforcements were hurried in from Athens, Thessaloniki and the nearby island of Lesbos. By Tuesday morning, the fire department said 444 firefighters with 85 vehicles were tackling the blaze on scattered fronts. Eleven helicopters and two water-dropping planes were providing air support. Emergency services issued evacuation orders for villages and settlements in the area, when fires broke out near the island's main town. Apocalyptic scenes captured in images and videos showed firefighters battling the flames as the wildfires raged on, while thick plumes of black smoke filled the sky. Other footage showed helicopters spraying water over smoke-filled fields. The fire department has sent an arson investigation team to Chios to examine the cause of the blaze. 'We are faced with simultaneous fires in multiple, geographically unconnected parts of the island - a pattern that cannot be considered coincidental,' Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis said Monday from Chios. Authorities, he said, were 'very seriously examining the possibility of an organized criminal act, in other words arson.' The minister said police forces on the island had been reinforced, while military patrols had been doubled. 'Whoever thinks that they can play with the lives of citizens and cause chaos with premeditated actions will be led to court,' Kefalogiannis said. 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The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Tourists warned of ‘new normal' as Europe heatwave hits visitors and locals
A heat dome is hovering over much of Europe this week, as tourists were warned of weather-related issues in holiday destinations. The dome was over France, Portugal and Spain to Turkey, while data from European forecasters suggested other countries were set to broil further in coming days. New highs are expected on Wednesday before rain is forecast to bring respite to some areas later this week. In southern Germany, temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) were expected on Monday, and they were forecast to creep higher until midweek - going as high as 39 degrees (102F) on Wednesday. Some German towns and regions imposed limits on how much water can be taken from rivers and lakes. In Greece, there have also been reports of tourist islands struggling with a lack of water. Areas of the country remain on high alert of wildfires. Forest fires fanned by high winds and hot, dry weather damaged some holiday homes in Turkey as a lingering heat wave that has cooked much of Europe led authorities to raise warnings and tourists to find ways to beat the heat on Monday. "Extreme heat is no longer a rare event — it has become the new normal," tweeted U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres from Seville, Spain, where temperatures were expected to hit 42 Celsius (nearly 108 Fahrenheit) on Monday afternoon. Reiterating his frequent calls for action to fight climate change, Guterres added: "The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous — no country is immune." In France, which was almost entirely sweltering in the heatwave on Monday and where air conditioning remains relatively rare, local and national authorities were taking extra effort to care for homeless and elderly people and people working outside. Some tourists were putting off plans for some rigorous outdoor activities. "We were going to do a bike tour today actually, but we decided because it was gonna be so warm not to do the bike tour," said Andrea Tyson, 46, who was visiting Paris from New Philadelphia, Ohio. Authorities in Portugal issued a red heat warning for seven of 18 districts as temperatures were forecast to hit 43 degrees Celsius, a day after logging a record June temperature of 46.6 degrees C. Almost all inland areas were at high risk of wildfires. In Turkey, forest fires fanned by strong winds damaged some holiday homes in Izmir's Doganbey region and forced the temporary closure of the airport in Izmir, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Authorities evacuated four villages as a precaution, the Forestry Ministry said. In Italy, the Health Ministry put 21 cities under its level three "red" alert, which indicates "emergency conditions with possible negative effects" on healthy, active people as well as at-risk old people, children and chronically ill people. Regional governments in northwestern Liguria and southern Sicily in Italy put restrictions on outdoor work, such as construction and agricultural labor, during the peak heat hours.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Scorching temperatures grip Europe, putting regions on high alert
Forest fires fanned by high winds and hot, dry weather damaged some holiday homes in Turkey as a lingering heat wave that has cooked much of Europe led authorities to raise warnings and tourists to find ways to beat the heat on Monday. A heat dome hovered over an arc from France, Portugal and Spain to Turkey, while data from European forecasters suggested other countries were set to broil further in coming days. New highs are expected on Wednesday before rain is forecast to bring respite to some areas later this week. 'Extreme heat is no longer a rare event — it has become the new normal,' tweeted U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres from Seville, Spain, where temperatures were expected to hit 42 Celsius (nearly 108 Fahrenheit) on Monday afternoon. Reiterating his frequent calls for action to fight climate change, Guterres added: 'The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous — no country is immune.' In France, which was almost entirely sweltering in the heatwave on Monday and where air conditioning remains relatively rare, local and national authorities were taking extra effort to care for homeless and elderly people and people working outside. Some tourists were putting off plans for some rigorous outdoor activities. 'We were going to do a bike tour today actually, but we decided because it was gonna be so warm not to do the bike tour," said Andrea Tyson, 46, who was visiting Paris from New Philadelphia, Ohio. Authorities in Portugal issued a red heat warning for seven of 18 districts as temperatures were forecast to hit 43 degrees Celsius, a day after logging a record June temperature of 46.6 degrees C. Almost all inland areas were at high risk of wildfires. In Turkey, forest fires fanned by strong winds damaged some holiday homes in Izmir's Doganbey region and forced the temporary closure of the airport in Izmir, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Authorities evacuated four villages as a precaution, the Forestry Ministry said. In Italy, the Health Ministry put 21 cities under its level three 'red' alert, which indicates 'emergency conditions with possible negative effects' on healthy, active people as well as at-risk old people, children and chronically ill people. Regional governments in northwestern Liguria and southern Sicily in Italy put restrictions on outdoor work, such as construction and agricultural labor, during the peak heat hours. In southern Germany, temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) were expected on Monday, and they were forecast to creep higher until midweek – going as high as 39 degrees (102F) on Wednesday. Some German towns and regions imposed limits on how much water can be taken from rivers and lakes. ___ AP reporters from across Europe contributed to this report.
