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Arab News
21 hours ago
- Climate
- Arab News
Firefighters master one Turkiye wildfire as two others rage on
ISTANBUL: Firefighters early Friday gained control over a major wildfire in the western Turkish province of Izmir but two others continued to ravage forests there, a minister said. Although Turkiye was spared the recent heatwaves that hit the rest of southern Europe, firefighters have been battling more than 600 fires in the drought-hit nation over the past week which have been fueled by high winds. By Friday morning, they had gained control over a major fire near the resort town of Cesme, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Turkiye's third city Izmir, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said. The firefighters' 'intense work overnight and the air intervention that resumed at dawn have brought the fire in Cesme under control,' he wrote on X. But they were still battling two other wildfires, one in Buca just south of Izmir and another in Odemis, about 100 kilometers further east where an 81-year-old man and a forestry worker died on Thursday. Forecasters said temperatures were set to rise over the weekend and would reach around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degree Fahrenheit) in the province early next week. With the fire under control in Cesme, the road linking the peninsular to Izmir was reopened, Anadolu state news agency said. But the motorway connecting Izmir and Aydin to the southeast was closed because of the Buca fire, which began at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday and spread quickly due to the wind, CNN Turk said. It said two people who had been cutting iron for use in construction had been arrested on suspicion of starting the fire. On Monday, more than 50,000 people were evacuated, mostly in the Izmir area but also from the southern province of Hatay, the AFAD disaster management agency said. According to figures on the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) website, there have been 96 wildfires in Turkiye so far this year that have ravaged more than 49,652 hectares (122,700 acres) of land. The area of land burnt has more than doubled since Monday when it stood at nearly 19,000 hectares. EFFIS only maps fires that cover an area of 30 hectares or more. Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and more intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkiye to take measures to tackle the problem.
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Climate
- Free Malaysia Today
Firefighters contain 1 blaze in Turkey as 2 others rage on
Wildfires in Turkey have ravaged more than 49,652 hectares of land so far this year. (Dia Photo/AP pic) ISTANBUL : Firefighters early today gained control over a major wildfire in the western Turkish province of Izmir but two others continued to ravage forests there, a minister said. Although Turkey was spared the recent heatwaves that hit the rest of southern Europe, firefighters have been battling more than 600 fires in the drought-hit nation over the past week which have been fuelled by high winds. By this morning, they had gained control over a major fire near the resort town of Cesme, some 80km west of Turkey's third city Izmir, agriculture and forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli said. The firefighters' 'intense work overnight and the air intervention that resumed at dawn have brought the fire in Cesme under control', he wrote on X. But they were still battling two other wildfires, one in Buca just south of Izmir and another in Odemis, about 100km further east where an 81-year-old man and a forestry worker died yesterday. Forecasters said temperatures were set to rise over the weekend and would reach around 40°C in the province early next week. With the fire under control in Cesme, the road linking the peninsular to Izmir was reopened, Anadolu state news agency said. But the motorway connecting Izmir and Aydin to the southeast was closed because of the Buca fire, which began at 4pm yesterday and spread quickly due to the wind, CNN Turk said. It said two people who had been cutting iron for use in construction had been arrested on suspicion of starting the fire. On Monday, more than 50,000 people were evacuated, mostly in the Izmir area but also from the southern province of Hatay, the Afad disaster management agency said. According to figures on the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis) website, there have been 96 wildfires in Turkey so far this year that have ravaged more than 49,652 hectares of land. The area of land burnt has more than doubled since Monday when it stood at nearly 19,000 hectares. Effis only maps fires that cover an area of 30 hectares or more. Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and more intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkey to take measures to tackle the problem.
CTV News
a day ago
- Climate
- CTV News
New wildfire in Greece prompts evacuation while Turkiye continues to battle deadly blaze
A fire rages across a forest area in Cesme, near Izmir, Turkiye, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Cengiz Malgir/Dia Photo via AP) ANKARA, Turkiye — A new wildfire in Greece prompted evacuations in coastal areas south of Athens of Friday, as firefighters in neighboring Turkey remained locked in a battle to contain flames tearing through forested hillsides in the west of the country. Wildfires that broke out in at least five locations across Turkiye's Aegean coastal province of İzmir -- fueled by soaring temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity -- have killed two people, forced the evacuation of tens of thousands and damaged some 200 homes. Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumakli said Friday that firefighters, supported by water-dropping aircraft, remained on the ground battling a deadly wildfire near the town of Odemis for a third day. Elsewhere, emergency crews worked to halt the spread of a new blaze that broke out late Thursday near the district of Buca. The fire near Odemis claimed two lives — a forestry worker who died Thursday trying to contain the flames, and an 81-year-old resident who succumbed to smoke inhalation, according to authorities. 'Our intense air and land fight to control the fires in Odemis and Buca,' continues, the minister said on X, without providing further details. Another wildfire that broke out Wednesday near the popular vacation destination of Cesme was contained Friday, Yumakli said. The fire prompted the evacuation of three neighborhoods and caused temporary road closures. Greek authorities on Friday deployed eight helicopters and eight water-dropping planes to contain the new fire that erupted in Koropi, some 35 kilometres (22 miles) south of the capital. The blaze follows a separate fire outside Athens and a coastal wildfire on the island of Crete, where more than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers and residents were evacuated from seaside areas on the south coast. Several hundred firefighters remained deployed there to prevent flare ups due to strong winds. Several areas of the country remain on alert due to the adverse weather conditions. Local authorities in Crete estimate that the wildfire has burned approximately 15 square kilometres (3,700 acres) of land. Turkish officials have not provided an estimate of the total land area consumed by the fires. Authorities said most of the fires Izmir were caused by faults on power lines. Yumakli blamed the blaze in Buca on sparks caused by construction workers using a grinder to cut through metal. Summer wildfires are common in both Greece and Turkiye, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions. __ Suzan Fraser And Derek Gatopoulos, The Associated Press Gatopoulos reported from Athens.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Turkey Battles Deadly Wildfires as Greece Brings Blaze in Crete Under Control
Firefighters in Turkey remained locked in a battle to contain flames tearing through forested hillsides in the west of the country on Friday, while similar wildfires in neighboring Greece were largely brought under control. Wildfires that broke out in at least five locations across Turkey's Aegean coastal province of İzmir – fueled by soaring temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity – have killed two people, forced the evacuation of tens of thousands, and damaged some 200 homes. Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumakli said Friday that firefighters, supported by water-dropping aircraft, remained on the ground battling a deadly wildfire near the town of Odemis for a third day. Elsewhere, emergency crews worked to halt the spread of a new blaze that broke out late Thursday near the district of Buca. The fire near Odemis claimed two lives – a forestry worker who died Thursday trying to contain the flames and an 81-year-old resident who succumbed to smoke inhalation, according to authorities. 'Our intense air and land fight to control the fires in Odemis and Buca continues,' the minister said on X, without providing further details. Another wildfire that broke out Wednesday near the popular vacation destination of Cesme was contained Friday, Yumakli said. The fire prompted the evacuation of three neighborhoods and caused temporary road closures. In Greece, a coastal wildfire on Crete remained under control. But the fire service maintained a large deployment on the island as the authorities feared flare-ups due to strong winds. More than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers, and local residents were moved out of the area on Wednesday as the blaze threatened seaside resorts. Several areas of the country remain on alert due to the adverse weather conditions. Local authorities in Crete estimate that the wildfire has burned approximately 15 square kilometers (3,700 acres) of land. Turkish officials have not provided an estimate of the total land area consumed by the fires. Authorities said most of the fires in İzmir were caused by faults on power lines. Yumakli blamed the blaze in Buca on sparks caused by construction workers using a grinder to cut through metal. Summer wildfires are common in both Greece and Turkey, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions.
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Two killed as wildfires rage in western Turkey
Two people have been killed by wildfires in western Turkey, with firefighters still battling to contain a series of blazes that have raged across the region for more than a week. A forestry worker was killed in Izmir province while trying to contain a fire near the town of Odemis and an 81-year-old resident died from smoke inhalation, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. They are the first deaths since the fires broke out. In the past week, Turkey has battled hundreds of wildfires fuelled by strong winds, extreme heat and low humidity. The blazes have damaged or destroyed about 200 homes, with about 50,000 people forced to flee. On Friday, Anadolu said efforts were being made to bring fires under control in the Odemis district after they spread to residential areas. Two planes and nine helicopters have been supporting firefighters, it added. Hundreds of firefighters are also battling a blaze near the town of Cesme, on the Aegean coast, with aircraft and helicopters sent to help. The area is a popular holiday destination. The Cesme fire, which began on Wednesday, has led to the evacuation of three neighbourhoods, with roads closed. TV footage showed flames spreading through dry vegetation beside a main road. The Turkish government's communications office denied reports that a group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) started some of the fires deliberately. The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and EU. In May it said it was ending a 40-year insurgency against Turkey and disbanding. Anadolu reported on Friday that two suspects had been taken into custody. Turkey's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli praised efforts to tackle the blazes. "As a result of the intense struggle of our forest heroes throughout the night and our air intervention that started at the first light of the morning, the fire in Cesme has been brought under control," he said. "Our intense struggle by air and land continues to bring the fires in Odemis and Buca under control." Summer wildfires are common in Turkey, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying the conditions for blazes. On Wednesday, Turkey's parliament adopted a climate law aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2053. The legislation includes measures to establish a carbon market board to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Greece, firefighters have also battled blazes near Athens and on the island of Crete, where thousands were forced to flee holiday resorts. More than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers and residents were evacuated from the Ierapetra area, along Crete's southern coast, authorities said. A small number of people fled into the sea and were rescued by fishermen and divers.
