IstanbulTurkey’s fourth-largest city was under threat from wildfires that have swept the country for weeks on Sunday, forcing over 3,500 residents to evacuate their homes and killing two people.
Strong winds, dry weather, and abnormally high temperatures are fueling fires across Greece, Bulgaria, and Montenegro.
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The night sky over the eastern suburbs of Bursa, in northwest Turkey, was tinted red by the rapid spread of overnight fires in the forested mountains around the city. Since late June, the country has experienced dozens of devastating wildfires every day. On Friday, the government designated the two western provinces of Izmir and Bilecik as disaster regions.
As more than 1,900 firemen fought the fire, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli informed reporters late Sunday that 3,515 people had been safely evacuated from communities northeast of Bursa. As nearby woodlands burnt, the highway that connected Bursa with the capital, Ankara, was shut down.
Mustafa Bozbey, the mayor of the city, stated that a firefighter passed away due to a heart attack while on duty and that the fire had burned 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of land in the city. According to local media, a water tanker plunged into a ravine west of Bursa, killing one person and critically injuring two more.
Orhan Saribal, the province’s opposition lawmaker, called the situation apocalyptic.
Firefighters continued their attempts to combat the flames as the morning gave some reprieve due to waning winds. But television pictures showed a desolate area where pine woods and farmers had existed.
According to Yumakli, firefighters nationwide battled 84 distinct fires on Saturday. The northwest of the country was most at risk, including Karabuk, where 1,839 people had to leave 19 villages due to wildfires that started on Tuesday.
A large fire was burning in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, in addition to Bursa and Karabuk, the minister added, cautioning that strong winds could rekindle fires that have been put out but have not been adequately watered down.
Thousands of animals and pets that had been abandoned in the haste to leave dangerous locations were saved by brave firefighters and rescue personnel. Images of firefighters helping wildlife stranded amid the fires were also featured in the local media.
The wildfires have been fueled by strong winds, dry weather, and unusually high temperatures.
According to the General Directorate of Meteorology, the southeast Turkish province of Sirnak recorded its highest temperature ever on Friday, 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit). According to the report, 132 additional places experienced the highest July temperatures.
Ten forestry workers and rescue volunteers were murdered Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir, western Turkey, one of 15 people who have died in recent weeks.
Late on Saturday, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that 97 people had been charged after prosecutors looked into fires in 33 provinces since June 26.
Evacuations throughout the night
After a fire that burned the northern Athens district of Kryonerion on Saturday, firefighters in Greece fought active wildfires in the southwest of the country and on the island of Kythera on Sunday. Much of the country continues to see high temperatures of 38 C (100 F) or above, despite a minor decrease in wind.
After some initially disregarded warnings, 27 inhabitants of Kryoneri were evacuated overnight with police aid. Authorities cautioned that defiance puts both rescuers and civilians at danger and asked the people to follow evacuation orders.
According to the fire department, one firefighter had burn treatment at a military hospital, while three others were admitted with respiratory problems.
Numerous animals died in barns on the island of Evia, where another fire is currently under control, according to media sources.
Encouraged by powerful winds
Firefighters fought flames throughout Bulgaria’s western Serbian border and its southern borders with Greece and Turkey, while the government designated the worst-hit provinces as disaster zones. A code red warning, the highest level, was issued to residents across about half of the nation.
Alexander Djartov, the head of the National Fire Service, informed reporters that 236 wildfires were raging, many of which were fueled by high winds. He noted that the administration had requested assistance from EU allies and that later Sunday, planes were scheduled to arrive from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Hungary, and Sweden.
Firefighters were forced to evacuate the southwest Strumyani district due to nocturnal fires. Soldiers bolstered them on Sunday. Flames threatened settlements near the Serbian border in the western Tran region, forcing dozens of people to flee their homes.
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This article was written by Demetris Nellas in Athens and Veselin Toshkov in Sofia, Bulgaria, for the Associated Press.
