Turkey’s weeklong efforts to contain wildfires raging across the country paid off, but 13 fires that started this week and last are still bearing down on southern provinces
Since July 28, when the first large-scale blazes broke out, Turkey confronted some 187 forest fires, from Muğla to Adana. As of Thursday, 172 of them had been contained according to official figures. The remaining wildfires, however, show no sign of abating and more people are evacuating affected areas.
Thousands of firefighters, volunteers, helicopters and water bomber planes are working to extinguish the fires threatening residential areas. One of the most critical fires broke out in Muğla, with flames engulfing a coal-fired power plant, triggering environmental concerns. Reports early Thursday said the massive fire had come within just one kilometer of the facility, and that it had been contained. Authorities announced that the fire did not damage the main units of the plant. The Ministry of National Defense sent ships to the area to evacuate locals by sea early Thursday.
Currently, new and old fires are still raging in Antalya’s Manavgat and Gündoğmuş districts, in Muğla’s Marmaris, Köyceğiz, Kavaklıdere, Milas, Menteşe and Seydikemer districts, in Aydın’s Karacasu, Denizli’s Tavas and Güney and Hatay’s Dörtyol. In Manavgat, where the first major fire in the country’s Mediterranean region broke out, flames are still engulfing forests, days after they gutted rural neighborhoods, killing at least seven people. In neighboring Muğla, forests near population vacation resort Marmaris were burning for the seventh day, Daily Sabah reported.
Strong winds and extreme temperatures in uncharacteristically hot regions challenge extinguishing efforts.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli told reporters earlier this week that temperatures in Marmaris alone had reached an all-time record of 45.5 degrees Celsius this week. "We are fighting a very serious war," the minister said. "I urge everyone to be patient."
