Firefighters struggle to contain wildfires in heatwave-struck Turkey and Cyprus
At least six separate wildfires were burning across Turkey, and Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli warned that strong winds and blazing heat were creating extremely dangerous conditions.
Late on Wednesday, Yumakli said 10 firefighters were killed while battling a fire in the central Eskisehir province, adding that 14 others were injured. Fanned by strong winds, the fire later spread to another central province, Afyonkarahisar.
In the northwestern province of Bilecik, fires raged for a fourth straight day, as firefighters struggled to contain them.
Residents were evacuated from fire-threatened areas of all three provinces, though some residents were later allowed to return to areas in Bilecik that were declared safe.
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Firefighters battled multiple wildfires across Turkey and Cyprus on Thursday that have scorched swathes of land, forced the evacuation of towns and villages and killed 10 firefighters in central Turkey amid a searing Mediterranean heat wave. At least six separate wildfires were burning across Turkey, and Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli warned that strong winds and blazing heat were creating extremely dangerous conditions. Late on Wednesday, Yumakli said 10 firefighters were killed while battling a fire in the central Eskisehir province, adding that 14 others were injured. Fanned by strong winds, the fire later spread to another central province, Afyonkarahisar. In the northwestern province of Bilecik, fires raged for a fourth straight day, as firefighters struggled to contain them. Residents were evacuated from fire-threatened areas of all three provinces, though some residents were later allowed to return to areas in Bilecik that were declared safe.
