Turkey flights grounded as airport shuts down due to raging wildfires
Adnan Menderes Airport has been forced to ground all flights this evening as forest fires across the coastal city of Izmir, Turkey, rage on.
A Turkish airport has grounded all flights as emergency services work to battle a fast-moving wildfire tearing through the coastal region.
Adnan Menderes Airport, which serves the popular hotspot of Izmir, has suspended all departures and arrivals this evening as emergency crews tackle the blaze, reports the Mirror.
The departure board showed a string of cancellations on Sunday, June 29, including a Sun Express Airlines flight that was due to depart from London Stansted at 7.20pm local time (5.20pm BTS), as well as flights to Istanbul, Copenhagen in Denmark, Cologne in Germany and Sofia in Bulgaria. It has not been confirmed when flights will resume.
The arrival board also showed that all flights have either been suspended or cancelled. They include national flights from other parts of Turkey as well as international flights from places including Newcastle, Brussels and Dublin.
Turkiye Today reported that various inbound flights were diverted to nearby airports. According to the publication, officials said operations are expected to resume once the fire is brought under control.
The inferno broke out on the borders of Menderes and Seferihisar districts of Izmir today. Terrifying images taken in the area show huge flames rising as the fire spreads. Firefighters are trying to battle the blaze by air and land.
Firefighter teams including two planes, one helicopter, three water tenders, and a water supply vehicle from the Izmir Regional Directorate of Forestry were dispatched to the area. They were also joined by the municipal fire brigade. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this stage.
According to reports across Turkey, 455 families were evacuated over the weekend after another blaze broke out on the outskirts of Izmir and quickly spread to the forest.
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There were also other fires in the area earlier this week which disrupted travel, prompted evacuations, and triggered a broad emergency response.
The General Directorate of Forestry confirmed that at least eight major fires occurred in Turkey between 24 and 24 - many of them linked to agricultural activity, improper waste disposal, or other human-related causes.
The most critical fire broke out at 12.30pm on June 25 in a forested area of Izmir's Aliağa district. Flames spread quickly due to strong winds, threatening residential areas, reports say.
The Mirror has contacted Adnan Menderes Airport for comment.
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