Elderly man dies as wildfires rage in Turkey
The 81-year-old-man died from smoke inhalation in a village near the town of Odemis, Suleyman Elban, the governor for Izmir province, said. His death marks the first fatality in a series of wildfires across the country that have forced thousands to flee.
A total of 37 other villagers were safely evacuated by security forces and emergency teams, Elban said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of firefighters, supported by aircraft and helicopters, were deployed to extinguish a wildfire blazing in the Aegean coastal town of Cesme, a tourism hotspot some 192 kilometers (120 miles) west of Odemis.
That wildfire, which began on Wednesday, forced the evacuation of three neighborhoods and closed roads. Television footage of the blaze showed flames burning through dried vegetation on both sides of a road.
Elban said the wildfires in Izmir province are believed to have been sparked by electrical lines, which ignited dry grass and spread rapidly due to wind.
In the past week, Turkey has battled hundreds of fires across the country that were fueled by fierce winds, scorching heat and low humidity.
The fires — most of which were brought under control — damaged or destroyed around 200 homes, the majority in İzmir, the Interior Ministry said. Dozens of barns were also destroyed.
As firefighting crews battled the blazes, Turkey's parliament adopted the country's first climate law late Wednesday, in a move aimed at reaching net-zero emissions by 2053.
The legislation includes measures to establish a carbon market board to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission. It also imposes fines on companies that fail to comply with the requirements.
The U.K.-based environmental advocacy group ClientEarth on Thursday welcomed the law's symbolic importance but said it has several shortcomings.
"The law lacks ambitious, science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the medium-term and offers no commitment to phasing out fossil fuels," the group said.
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Nahar Net
a day ago
- Nahar Net
Elderly man dies as wildfires rage in Turkey
Firefighters on Thursday discovered the body of an elderly man after extinguishing a wildfire near a village in western Turkey, while crews elsewhere continued to battle another blaze that closed a highway and forced some residents to be evacuated from their homes. The 81-year-old-man died from smoke inhalation in a village near the town of Odemis, Suleyman Elban, the governor for Izmir province, said. His death marks the first fatality in a series of wildfires across the country that have forced thousands to flee. A total of 37 other villagers were safely evacuated by security forces and emergency teams, Elban said. Meanwhile, hundreds of firefighters, supported by aircraft and helicopters, were deployed to extinguish a wildfire blazing in the Aegean coastal town of Cesme, a tourism hotspot some 192 kilometers (120 miles) west of Odemis. That wildfire, which began on Wednesday, forced the evacuation of three neighborhoods and closed roads. Television footage of the blaze showed flames burning through dried vegetation on both sides of a road. Elban said the wildfires in Izmir province are believed to have been sparked by electrical lines, which ignited dry grass and spread rapidly due to wind. In the past week, Turkey has battled hundreds of fires across the country that were fueled by fierce winds, scorching heat and low humidity. The fires — most of which were brought under control — damaged or destroyed around 200 homes, the majority in İzmir, the Interior Ministry said. Dozens of barns were also destroyed. As firefighting crews battled the blazes, Turkey's parliament adopted the country's first climate law late Wednesday, in a move aimed at reaching net-zero emissions by 2053. The legislation includes measures to establish a carbon market board to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission. It also imposes fines on companies that fail to comply with the requirements. The U.K.-based environmental advocacy group ClientEarth on Thursday welcomed the law's symbolic importance but said it has several shortcomings. "The law lacks ambitious, science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the medium-term and offers no commitment to phasing out fossil fuels," the group said.
Nahar Net
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Firefighters battle major wildfire on Greek island of Chios
by Naharnet Newsdesk 23 June 2025, 17:12 Greek authorities sent new evacuation notifications for two areas near the main town of the eastern Aegean island of Chios Monday morning, as firefighters struggled to control a major wildfire raging on the town's outskirts for a second day. The fire department said 190 firefighters were battling the blaze Monday. They were backed up by 35 vehicles, five helicopters and two water-dropping planes. Strong winds in the area since Sunday have hampered firefighting efforts. Push alerts have been sent to mobile phones in the area urging people to evacuate a total of 16 villages, settlements and neighborhoods on the outskirts of Chios town since the blaze broke out on Sunday. The fire started in three separate locations. Authorities have sent a specialist fire department arson investigation team to the island to look into the causes. Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities have said climate change has been fueling bigger and more frequent blazes. In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 people died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.
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16 Jun 2025 17:44 PM Heavy rains in dry season cause havoc in DR Congo's capital
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