Turkey managed to put out 235 out of 240 wildfires in 47 provinces on the 12th day of a string of blazes raging across the country. Turkey's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli announced that only five fires were still underway in Muğla, a southwestern province.
The first major fires began on July 28 in the country’s south. Soon, others followed, and most were in the southern and southwestern provinces. In Muğla, home to popular vacation resort towns, wildfires threatened residential areas and prompted evacuations of hundreds. One person, trapped in the middle of fire while trying to help firefighters, was killed. Seven others, including firefighters, were killed in Manavgat, the site of the first big blaze in Antalya, which neighbors Muğla.
Pakdemirli announced late Sunday via Twitter that fires were still burning in Muğla’s Köyceğiz, Kavaklıdere, Milas, Yatağan and Karaköy districts. Soaring temperatures and low humidity, as well as strong winds, challenge the extinguishing efforts. More than 5,000 firefighters, aided by 15 water bomber planes, helicopters and hundreds of fire trucks, are struggling against flames that gutted vast swaths of forests across Muğla.
Investigations are still underway over the cause of fires. A suspect was detained in Manavgat for setting a forest on fire last week while authorities had expressed suspicion of the PKK terrorist group's involvement, Daily Sabah reported.
