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Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control

More than 5,000 firefighters in Turkey, backed by aerial and ground support, battled the worst wildfires in over a decade on Saturday, while six fires are still out of control, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said on Saturday.

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Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control

"I thank our teams for their heroic efforts and for risking their lives without a break," Pakdemirli added.

The country has fought a total of 225 wildfires across 47 cities and provinces since July 28, according to official data.

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Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control

During the night, the fires spread in Muğla's Köyceğiz and Milas districts, while three neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate, the local authorities said on Saturday.

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Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control

In Milas, a fire near a coal-fired power plant was brought under control but teams were on alert in case wind sparked the blaze again, Pakdemirli said.

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Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control

Volunteers joined firefighting efforts across Muğla, while teams continued to cool some areas and assess the damage. Others worked to offer shelter and food to the animals affected.

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Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said a total of 5,250 firefighter crew had been dispatched to disaster areas, backed by more than 80 helicopters, firefighter planes and drones and 1,000 trucks and vehicles, in a tweet on Friday evening.

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Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control

At least eight people have died and 100,000 hectares of forest and fields have been destroyed, according to estimates, with more than 64,000 hectares destroyed in Muğla alone.