Nighttime view of a forest fire.
Share this @internewscast.com

AT least two people have died and thousands have been evacuated as devastating wildfires continue to rage in Turkey.

Firefighters have been battling more than 600 fires fuelled by high winds in the drought-hit nation over the past week.

Nighttime view of a forest fire.
Flames and smoke rise from burning trees while intervention continues against the fire that broke out yesterday in the forest area in Odemis district of IzmirCredit: Getty
Silhouette of firefighter on truck battling forest fire.
Firefighters have been battling more than 600 fires fuelled by high winds in the drought-hit nation over the past weekCredit: Getty
A firefighter watches flames engulfing trees in a forest fire.
Flames rise from burning trees while intervention continues against the fire that broke out in the forest area in Buca district of IzmirCredit: Getty
Map showing wildfires in Turkey and Greece.

The wildfires first erupted in tourist hotspot areas Kuyucak and Doganbey fanned overnight by winds which reached 25-30mph.

Authorities have successfully contained several wildfire outbreaks, including a significant blaze near the resort destination of Cesme, yet they continue to combat two additional fires.

One of them is in Buca, just south of Izmir, and another in Odemis – about 64 miles further east where an 81-year-old man died on Thursday.

“The village had to be evacuated, however, a senior resident who was bedridden unfortunately could not be rescued,” stated Salih Uzun, a legislator from Izmir representing the main opposition CHP party.

A forest worker in the same area died as he battled the blazes, the country’s agriculture minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on X.

Forecasters said temperatures were set to rise over the weekend and would reach around 40 degrees Celsius early next week.

The Buca fire, which ignited at 4:00 pm on Thursday and rapidly expanded due to windy conditions, led to the closure of the highway connecting Izmir and Aydin in the southeast, according to CNN Turk.

It said two people who had been cutting iron for use in construction had been arrested on suspicion of starting the fire.

In a Facebook post that has since been shared thousands of times, the Mayor of Odemis Mustafa Turan was seen desperately pleading for help.

One local said: “The magnitude and frightening dimensions of the fire are frightening the people of Odemis.”

Brutal Turkey fires spread fuelling travel chaos at tourist airports as ‘petrol arsonist’ arrested & 1,000 fight blazes

Earlier, two other fires broke out — one in the southern resort of Antalya and the second in Istanbul’s Sultan Gazi forest.

They were quickly contained by firefighters, officials said.

Footage from Antalya showed flames raging in a forested area near a residential area in Lara, a popular tourist resort with many large hotels.

Planes were seen dumping large supplies of water over fiery infernos in order to combat the blazes.

And local residents watched in horror as their homes were torched up and forestry continued to burn.

Aftermath photos showed scorched cars and buildings while firefighters worked desperately to fight the flames.

Foreign Minister Yumakli said: “Our heroes continue their relentless struggle against the flames under the toughest conditions, day and night, with all their might.”

Burned-out car and firefighters extinguishing a fire.
The inferno tore through the coastal resort city with homes and cars torched
Smoke billowing from a wildfire over houses and trees.
Smoke billows over hills marked with charred trees

Some 122 fire engines, 74 water tankers and 84 heavy machines have been deployed alongside more than a thousand people who are desperately working to extinguish the flames, Yumakli added.

Since Friday, hundreds of fires have been reported across drought-hit Turkey, fuelled by high winds.

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 90 wildfires in Turkey so far this year that have ravaged more than 35,082 hectares (86,689 acres) of land.

The figure on Monday was nearly 15,000 hectares destroyed in 65 fires.

Turkey‘s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said that 17 suspects linked to fires between June 26 and 28 had been detained.

But one suspect, a beekeeper according to local media, has been held for allegedly starting a fire with gasoline and is facing charges of “intentionally causing a forest fire,” the Minister added.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Mugshot of Austin Drummond.

Alleged Quadruple Murderer Austin Drummond Unusually Asserts He Was an FBI Informant Whose Cover Was Blown and Claims Innocence in Family Slayings

THE man accused of killing four people he says he considered to…
Zelensky and Putin at a meeting in Paris.

Why Does Putin Fear Zelensky? How Meeting the ‘Nazi Comic’ Turned Hero Could Highlight the Dictator’s Shortcomings

VLADIMIR Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky have only met in person once before.…
A waitress struggles to hold onto a patio umbrella during a strong windstorm.

Terrifying Tornado Strikes Spanish Resort, Sending Café Furniture Flying During Unusual ‘Satan’s Storm’

THIS is the terrifying moment a tornado suddenly swept away tables and…
Kentucky judge killed in chambers accused of trading sexual favors for influence at wild parties

Kentucky Judge Found Dead in Chambers Amid Allegations of Trading Favors for Influence at Extravagant Parties

In rural Kentucky, a judge allegedly shot in his office last year…
FBI arrests Sean Gardner, ex-coach at Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute for US Olympics in Iowa, years after abuse reports

Former Chow’s Gymnastics Coach Sean Gardner Arrested by FBI for Olympic Athlete Abuse Allegations in Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Just as the U.S. gymnastics community was regaining…
Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol waving from a car.

Worries Grow for Princess in Three-Year Coma Battling Serious Health Issues After Severe Infection

THERE are fears for a Thai princess after the royal palace shared…
Mets not planning go to six-man rotation — for now

Mets Opt to Stick with Five-Man Rotation — For the Time Being

WASHINGTON — The Mets’ pitching plan right now entails rolling with the…
Woman taking a selfie in a gym.

Popular fitness influencer Nicole Brenda Santos Marins dies after cycling accident involving a car and subsequent lorry collision

A FITNESS influencer has been killed in a horror crash after cycling…
Photo of a young man with curly hair.

Family’s Heartfelt Tribute to Teen Lost in Crash: ‘He Brought Love to Everything,’ as 36-Year-Old Driver Sentenced

A GRIEVING family have paid a heartbreaking tribute to their “beautiful” son…
Department of Defense recruiting civilian volunteers for Trump admin's immigration crackdown operations

Defense Department Seeks Civilian Volunteers for Immigration Operations Under Trump Administration

The Department of Defense is providing its civilian employees with the chance…
Israel says UN misleads world as Gaza aid stolen and diverted from civilians

Israel Accuses UN of Misleading After Gaza Aid Allegedly Stolen and Not Reaching Civilians

As the debate heats up over the delivery of aid into Gaza,…
Vegan firefighter hoses down burning tractor-trailer carrying 40,000 pounds of rib-eye steaks: 'Total loss'

Plant-Based Firefighter Extinguishes Blaze in Truck Hauling 40,000 Pounds of Rib-Eye Steaks: ‘Complete Loss’

A probationary firefighter at a rural fire department in Missouri had a…