Turkish firefighters battle on six fronts to bring ‘extraordinary’ wildfires under control
Firefighters, joined by teams from at least six countries including Spain and Russia, have been trying to control the wildfires for 11 consecutive days under what Pakdemirli described as "extraordinary conditions," referring to high temperatures, humidity and wind.
- Turkey
- Published Date: 03:41 | 07 August 2021
- Modified Date: 03:57 | 07 August 2021
Six of the 12 fires were extinguished in the course of the night, while a further six continued to burn near the coastal cities of Muğla and Aydın, Pakdemirli told reporters in Muğla.
Firefighters managed to bring some of the wildfires under control, in Antalya and in Muğla's Marmaris and Bodrum districts, popular tourist destinations, Pakdemirli added.
"We are facing a catastrophe that will be marked in history," the minister said, adding there had been 16 major fires so far this year, compared to only four in 2020.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.