It is now the turn of Turkey to face the wrath of wildfires. There are around 70 wildfires that broke out on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Some of them have been contained or extinguished. Firefighters are battling the blazes for the third successive day. The authorities have arranged the evacuation of several villages and hotels. The fires, fanned by strong winds and high temperatures, have forced tourists to move to safety. The death toll is four.
Bekir Pakdemirli is the Forestry Minister. Al Jazeera quotes him saying that fires are still raging in some of the provinces.
These included the Mediterranean resort regions. His words are: “We were hoping to contain some of the fires as of this morning but while we say cautiously that they are improving, we still cannot say they are under control.” These are favorite tourist destinations and people travel from far-off places to come here and relax. They want to enjoy the scenes, the surroundings, and the people but not the fires.
Aerial efforts to control the wildfires
The authorities have undertaken aerial efforts to control the fires. Airplanes, helicopters, drones along with firefighting vehicles, and personnel are involved in the firefighting activities. Russia has joined in the exercise while Greece, also facing a similar situation, indicated its willingness to help.
Al Jazeera says the officials in Turkey promised to take action against anyone who might be involved in starting the wildfires. Manavgat is a city on the Mediterranean coast, 45 miles east of Antalya. Here firefighters are engaged in battling a blaze that killed three people. The fires led to evacuation from many neighborhoods, including a hospital.
Wildfires in Greece also
It seems Greece is also a target of wildfires. These spread because of the winds and rise in temperatures. This combination translates into disasters of this nature that destroy anything in their path. These displace people and result in the loss of habitats for the wildlife. Moreover, the loss of greenery affects the ecological balance.
Recovery takes time. Al Jazeera mentions about ablaze through a pine forest near Athens. It damaged several homes before being controlled. Greece has cautioned the public against unnecessary movement because of possible wildfires during a heatwave expected next week. There are reports of fires in the pine forest north of Lebanon. These killed at least one firefighter and forced a section of residents to flee.
Satellite images show deadly wildfires across Turkey
According to Sky News, wildfires raging across southern Turkey forced people to flee villages and beach resorts. Satellite images revealed the extent of devastation unleashed by the fires. There are reports of at least four deaths and hospitalization of more than 50 others.
Azerbaijan announced sending teams of emergency responders along with helicopters and specialist equipment to assist the local administration. Russia and Ukraine have also extended aerial support to help tackle the fires. A senior aide of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Those responsible will have to account for the attacks against nature and forests." The mayor of Marmaris dropped hints of "sabotage" being the cause of a fire at one resort. The Mediterranean and Aegean regions are used to wildfires during the dry summer months. Some people attribute such fires to global warming. Obviously, the world has to assign priority to this issue and evolve workable solutions.
