Wildfire kills 10 firefighters and rescue workers in turkey
The minister said the wind suddenly changed direction, causing the flames to shift rapidly and surround the forest workers. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire. Yumakli said firefighters were currently battling seven wildfires in Turkey, including the one in Eskisehir, adding that extreme heat and volatile wind conditions also were expected in Turkey on Thursday. 'Starting tomorrow, we are facing extraordinary temperatures and extreme wind shifts. Once again, I call on all 86 million citizens to be vigilant and exercise extra caution,' he said.
In a message of condolence to the families, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the victims had 'fought to protect our forests at cost of their lives.' Two prosecutors were assigned to investigate the incident, the country's justice minister said. Turkey has been battling wildfires since June 26. An elderly man and two forestry workers were killed in a wildfire that raged near the town of Odemis in Izmir province earlier this month.
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