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Turkey wildfires: blazes race across provinces of Izmir and Manisa
Turkey wildfires: blazes race across provinces of Izmir and Manisa

Times

time30-06-2025

  • Climate
  • Times

Turkey wildfires: blazes race across provinces of Izmir and Manisa

Wildfires have raced across hillsides in western Turkey, tearing through the provinces of Izmir and Manisa, as a punishing heatwave tightens its grip on southern Europe. The summer's first big heatwave has caused the authorities in several European countries, including France and Spain, to issue warnings about health, as well as the threat of wildfires, as temperatures reach 44C. In Turkey, columns of smoke were seen billowing over olive groves and pine forests, turning the sky orange as dozens of fires burnt through homes and farms. Fire crews struggled to contain the outbreak, in which nine of the 77 fires were classed as 'major', as winds of more than 75mph hour grounded aerial water bombers. The Seferihisar district of Izmir was evacuated as fires approached garden walls, and villagers scrambled to herd animals away from advancing flames. Three people affected by smoke were treated in hospital. Yilmaz Tunc, the justice minister, said one person had been detained on suspicion of starting a fire with petrol in the Buca district of Izmir. Since the start of June, Turkey has had nearly 1,500 fires. Ibrahim Yumakli, the agriculture and forestry minister, has said that human negligence has been to blame for many of them. Among the common causes were cigarette butts, picnic fires and Italy, Portugal and Spain have been sweltering for several days. 'This is unprecedented,' Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the French ecology transition minister, said as a record 84 of the nation's 96 mainland departments were put on the second-highest 'orange' heat alert. Only a sliver of France, in the northwest, has not been sweltering, according to the Meteo France weather service, which also said that the heatwave was due to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday. Huge fires broke out in the southern Aude region, apparently started by a poorly extinguished barbecue. Schools across France were closed and water was being handed out to passengers at train stations. Countries along the Mediterranean's northern coast have been urging people to seek shelter. Ambulances were on standby near tourist hotspots as experts warned that heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. Last week, Greek firefighters had to battle a forest blaze on the coast south of Athens that forced evacuations. The Spanish weather service, AEMET, said that temperatures in Extremadura and Andalusia, in the south and southwest, had reached up to 44C at the weekend. In Italy, 21 cities across the length of the country were on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, Rome and Catania. 'We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted,' said Anna Becker, a British tourist who had travelled to Rome from a 'muggy, miserable' Verona. Hospital emergency departments across Italy have reported a 10 per cent increase in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, vice-president of the Italian Society for Emergency Medicine. 'It is mainly elderly people, cancer patients or homeless people, presenting with dehydration, heat stroke, fatigue,' he said. Several areas in the southern half of Portugal, including Lisbon, were under a red warning until Monday night.

Farmers warn of soaring food prices as rare event wipes out crops across vast area: 'Raising costs and lowering incomes'
Farmers warn of soaring food prices as rare event wipes out crops across vast area: 'Raising costs and lowering incomes'

Yahoo

time17-05-2025

  • Climate
  • Yahoo

Farmers warn of soaring food prices as rare event wipes out crops across vast area: 'Raising costs and lowering incomes'

Almost half of Turkey's provinces were hit by an agricultural freeze in mid-April. The freeze, uncommon for this time of year, has caused significant damage to a wide variety of crops such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. The freeze raises multiple major concerns. The first is how this may impact food supply chains. The second is the higher food costs and lower incomes for farmers. Finally, officials must grapple with how a severe weather event like this stems from a rapidly changing climate. The freeze from April 10-12 damaged many of Turkey's crops across 36 of its 81 provinces. Although farmers did what they could to protect the crops with fire and fog machines, much was lost. The resulting loss of tea, fruits, vegetables, and nuts will drive food prices up and hurt the farmers financially. According to CABI Digital Library, around 80% of vineyards in the Manisa province experienced the frost, and 80% of apricots in Malatya, which produces 80% of global dried apricot exports, were also impacted by the freeze. "The unpredictability caused by climate change is raising costs and lowering incomes for farmers," Ömer Fethi Gürer, a member of Turkey's parliament's Agriculture Committee, told Bianet. Turkey is not alone in experiencing agricultural setbacks fueled by a changing climate. A recent study in Nature found that lowland altitudes may experience the greatest agricultural setbacks with rising global temperatures. Cold snaps and freezes can still occur while the average temperature climbs. However, scientists agree that severe weather events have been worse because of warming temperatures and that they will continue to get worse. In agriculture, issues arise when the temperature increases and crop seasons may not follow what farmers are typically prepared for. Warmer temperatures can mean earlier and longer growing seasons, but it can also mean different amounts of rainfall or cold snaps that could damage crops. What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time Not enough space It seems too hard I have a garden already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Loss of crops negatively impacts the food supply chain. This means lower crop yields and more expensive food for consumers. Rising food prices and scarce access to food can exacerbate hunger in vulnerable populations around the world. Government agencies in Turkey are working with farmers, many of whom are not insured, regarding their lost crops. In general, the World Bank funds programs to enhance food security, eco-friendly agriculture, and climate resilience. On our own, we can all do our best to reduce our food waste, shop smarter to save money at the grocery store, and protect local pollinators to bolster our local food supplies. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

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