Latest news with #YilmazTunc
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
Turkey wildfires: At least 17 killed as thousands flee their homes
Wildfires in several Turkish regions have claimed at least 17 lives in the past month, as record-breaking heatwaves and strong winds fuel devastating blazes across the eastern Mediterranean. The number of fatalities in fires outside the country's fourth-largest city, Bursa, rose to four on Monday, as two volunteer firefighters died in hospital after being pulled from a water tanker that had overturned on the way to a forest fire. Another worker had died at the scene earlier, and a firefighter suffered a fatal heart attack on Sunday. More than 3,500 residents in the area were forced to flee their homes over the weekend. The latest fatalities bring Turkey 's wildfire-related number of dead to 17 since late June, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers who lost their lives in a fire last Wednesday in Eskisehir, western Turkey. Although several fires have been partially contained, vast areas of forest have been destroyed by the flames. Turkey's forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on Sunday that the country had battled at least 44 separate fires that day. Two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik, have been declared disaster areas. Legal action has been brought against 97 individuals across 33 of Turkey's 81 provinces in connection with the fires, according to the country's justice minister, Yilmaz Tunc. Tensions rose on Sunday evening near a police station in the village of Harmancik, 57km (35 miles) south of Bursa, after people learned that a suspected arsonist had been detained there. The angry crowd demanded the suspect be handed over but eventually dispersed after police assured them that there would be a thorough investigation. Over the weekend, wildfires also swept through Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro, and Greece. In villages near Athens, explosions were heard as the fires spread to factories storing flammable materials, according to Reuters.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Turkey wildfires: At least 17 killed as thousands flee their homes
Wildfires in several Turkish regions have claimed at least 17 lives in the past month, as record-breaking heatwaves and strong winds fuel devastating blazes across the eastern Mediterranean. The number of fatalities in fires outside the country's fourth-largest city, Bursa, rose to four on Monday, as two volunteer firefighters died in hospital after being pulled from a water tanker that had overturned on the way to a forest fire. Another worker had died at the scene earlier, and a firefighter suffered a fatal heart attack on Sunday. More than 3,500 residents in the area were forced to flee their homes over the weekend. The latest fatalities bring Turkey's wildfire-related number of dead to 17 since late June, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers who lost their lives in a fire last Wednesday in Eskisehir, western Turkey. Although several fires have been partially contained, vast areas of forest have been destroyed by the flames. Turkey's forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on Sunday that the country had battled at least 44 separate fires that day. Two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik, have been declared disaster areas. Read more: Legal action has been brought against 97 individuals across 33 of Turkey's 81 provinces in connection with the fires, according to the country's justice minister, Yilmaz Tunc. Tensions rose on Sunday evening near a police station in the village of Harmancik, 57km (35 miles) south of Bursa, after people learned that a suspected arsonist had been detained there. The angry crowd demanded the suspect be handed over but eventually dispersed after police assured them that there would be a thorough investigation. Over the weekend, wildfires also swept through Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro, and Greece. In villages near Athens, explosions were heard as the fires spread to factories storing flammable materials, according to Reuters.
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Climate
- South Wales Guardian
Two volunteer firefighters die amid wildfires in Turkey
The pair died in hospital after they were pulled from a water tanker that rolled while heading to a forest fire, news agency IHA reported. Another worker died earlier at the scene of the accident and a firefighter died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack. Their deaths raised Turkey's wildfire fatalities to 17 since late June, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed on Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir, western Turkey. Huge fires around Bursa, Turkey's fourth-largest city, broke out over the weekend, leading to more than 3,500 people fleeing their homes. On Monday morning, fog-like smoke from ongoing fires and smouldering foliage hung over the city. Unseasonably high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds have been fuelling the wildfires, with Turkey and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean experiencing record-breaking heatwaves. The fires around Bursa were among hundreds to have hit Turkey over the past month. While firefighting teams have contained the damage to a limited number of homes, vast tracts of forest have been turned to ash. The water tanker crew comprised volunteers from nearby Bolu province heading to the village of Aglasan, north-east of Bursa, to combat a blaze when the vehicle fell into a ditch while negotiating a rough forest track, IHA reported. Turkey battled at least 44 separate fires on Sunday, forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli said late on Sunday. He identified two fires in Bursa province, as well as blazes in Karabuk, north-west Turkey, and Kahramanmaras in the south, as the most serious. The government declared disaster areas in two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik. Prosecutions have been launched against 97 people in 33 of Turkey's 81 provinces in relation to the fires, justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said. A crowd of people gathered on Sunday evening outside a police station in the village of Harmancik, 57 kilometres (35 miles) south of Bursa, after learning a suspected arsonist was detained there. The angry crowd demanded for the suspect to be handed over to them. The crowd dispersed after police assured them a thorough investigation would be undertaken. In Albania, firefighters battled at least six separate wildfires on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. Two weeks of blazes have ravaged thousands of hectares of forest in the Balkan country. The areas most at risk were in the north east, where inaccessible mountain plateaus had water-dropping aircraft carrying out the bulk of the firefighting. In the country's southern region, overnight winds ignited blazes in the municipalities of Delvine and Konispol in the Himare district on the Adriatic coast, which suffered wildfires last week. Authorities said at least a dozen people were arrested over the weekend over the wildfires.
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Climate
- North Wales Chronicle
Two volunteer firefighters die amid wildfires in Turkey
The pair died in hospital after they were pulled from a water tanker that rolled while heading to a forest fire, news agency IHA reported. Another worker died earlier at the scene of the accident and a firefighter died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack. Their deaths raised Turkey's wildfire fatalities to 17 since late June, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed on Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir, western Turkey. Huge fires around Bursa, Turkey's fourth-largest city, broke out over the weekend, leading to more than 3,500 people fleeing their homes. On Monday morning, fog-like smoke from ongoing fires and smouldering foliage hung over the city. Unseasonably high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds have been fuelling the wildfires, with Turkey and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean experiencing record-breaking heatwaves. The fires around Bursa were among hundreds to have hit Turkey over the past month. While firefighting teams have contained the damage to a limited number of homes, vast tracts of forest have been turned to ash. The water tanker crew comprised volunteers from nearby Bolu province heading to the village of Aglasan, north-east of Bursa, to combat a blaze when the vehicle fell into a ditch while negotiating a rough forest track, IHA reported. Turkey battled at least 44 separate fires on Sunday, forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli said late on Sunday. He identified two fires in Bursa province, as well as blazes in Karabuk, north-west Turkey, and Kahramanmaras in the south, as the most serious. The government declared disaster areas in two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik. Prosecutions have been launched against 97 people in 33 of Turkey's 81 provinces in relation to the fires, justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said. A crowd of people gathered on Sunday evening outside a police station in the village of Harmancik, 57 kilometres (35 miles) south of Bursa, after learning a suspected arsonist was detained there. The angry crowd demanded for the suspect to be handed over to them. The crowd dispersed after police assured them a thorough investigation would be undertaken. In Albania, firefighters battled at least six separate wildfires on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. Two weeks of blazes have ravaged thousands of hectares of forest in the Balkan country. The areas most at risk were in the north east, where inaccessible mountain plateaus had water-dropping aircraft carrying out the bulk of the firefighting. In the country's southern region, overnight winds ignited blazes in the municipalities of Delvine and Konispol in the Himare district on the Adriatic coast, which suffered wildfires last week. Authorities said at least a dozen people were arrested over the weekend over the wildfires.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Climate
- Fox News
1,700 evacuated, firefighter dead as Turkey wildfires tear through major city
Wildfires that have harassed Turkey for weeks are now threatening the country's fourth-largest city on Sunday, forcing 1,700 evacuations and leaving another firefighter dead. Fires surround the city of Bursa in Turkey's northwest, with the government saying it has evacuated 1,765 people and deployed roughly 1,900 firefighters to combat the blaze. The conflagration has so far scorched over 7,000 acres and claimed the life of at least one firefighter, who had a heart attack on the scene. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said fire crews across the country confronted 84 separate blazes Saturday. The country's northwest was under the greatest threat, including Karabuk, where wildfires have burned since Tuesday, he said. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 122.9 degrees Fahrenheit in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. Fourteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir in western Turkey. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Saturday that prosecutors had investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, and that legal action had been taken against 97 suspects. The blazes have threatened to cross borders into Turkey's neighboring countries of Greece and Bulgaria. Bulgaria's National Fire Service chief Alexander Djartov said they have enlisted the help of European Union partners to combat the fires. He said aircraft were expected from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Hungary and Sweden later Sunday. Turkey says it has used the military to reinforce beleaguered firefighters in many areas.
