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Metro
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Metro
Map reveals where wildfires are spreading in Turkey and parts of Europe
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video More than a dozen people dead; tens of thousands of others evacuated;and thousands of hectares of land burning – this is the 'titanic battle' the Balkans is facing. Wildfires are currently raging in Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria amid a 44°C heatwave, ongoing droughts and strong winds. A map from Nasa shows how flames have spread across the region in the last week despite efforts to contain them. What has become clear is that climate change is accelerating the disaster in a region already on the brink. Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks are now threatening Bursa, its fourth-largest city, early on Sunday. More than 3,500 people have been forced to flee their homes in villages to the northeast as more than 1,900 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking the city to the capital, Ankara, was shut as surrounding forests burned. Four people have been killed so far. The death toll rose last night after two firefighters, who were pulled from a water tanker that rolled while heading to a forest inferno, died in hospital. Another firefighter died from a heart attack while on the line of duty. Their deaths raised Turkey's wildfire fatalities to 17 since June, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed on Wednesday. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for Bursa, described the site as 'an apocalypse'. He added on X: 'While carrying water to the forest fire between Gürsu and Kestel districts, the water tanker that rolled into a ravine claimed the lives of our three worker brothers. 'As our lungs burned, this tragedy added a heartache to our pain. I wish mercy for our brothers and condolences to their families, loved ones, and our Bursa.' Footage revealed an ashen landscape where farms and pine forests had earlier stood. The rise in wildfires comes as Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5°C in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. In neighbouring Greece, 50 fires scorched the suburbs of Athens, forcing the government to evacuate residents over the weekend. Firefighters were working on five major fronts late Sunday in the area of Peloponnese, west of the capital, as well as on the islands of Evia, Kythera and Crete. Kythera, a tourist island with 3,600 residents, continued to face 'worrying' conditions. Deputy mayor Giorgos Komninos told the state-run ERT News channel that half of Kythera had been charred. He said: 'Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt.' ERT reported that a fire was still burning on the island late Sunday, but in smaller fronts and the situation was improving. Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement released on Sunday morning: 'The state mechanism was called to engage in a titanic battle, simultaneously responding to dozens of wildfires across the country. 'Today, the situation appears improved, but the fight continues with all available resources.' Firefighters battled wildfires at nearly 100 locations across the country on Sunday, with emergency services describing the situation as 'critical'. Theodora Vasileva, mayor of one of the devastated villages, Kozarevo, in the southeastern province of Yambol, said this is the first time she had witnessed a disaster of such magnitude. She added: 'The rapid notification system helped us a lot – people started calling and gathered in minutes. This is the first time I am seeing this hell; the sunflower crops were all in flames. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'The elderly, whose homes are everything for them, wept. They were so worried, but everything is under control for now, their houses are preserved.' Emergency volunteer Zvezdelin Vlaykov stressed that in all his years of firefighting, he has never seen anything like it. More Trending He added: 'It's a merciless tragedy.' This comes as two men were charged with terrorism offences after allegedly deliberately setting fires in the cities of Veliko Turnovo and Sliven. The Ministry of Interior confirmed that the charges have been escalated from simple arson to crimes under Chapter One of the Criminal Code. Bulgaria is the most affected country by fires for 2024-2025 in the EU, with more that 38,000 square miles affected. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Is it safe to travel to Turkey right now? Latest UK Foreign Office tourist advice MORE: Is it safe to travel to Greece? Latest tourist advice amid 'unpredictable' wildfires MORE: Londoners outraged over 'stupid' new charge being added to restaurant bills
Times
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Times
Four dead in Turkey wildfires as blazes continue across Greece
Four people have died in wildfires in Turkey as firefighters battle to contain blazes across the country and in southern Europe amid sweltering temperatures. More than 3,500 people have been evacuated from the area around Bursa, Turkey's fourth-largest city, while two volunteer firefighters died in hospital after being pulled from an overturned water tanker that was on its way to fight the forest fire, the IHA news agency reported. Another emergency responder was killed at the scene and a firefighter died of a heart attack earlier in the weekend. Some 2,300 firefighters battled the flames and gusty winds on Sunday night as fires spread rapidly, tinting the night sky red. The scene was described as 'an apocalypse' by Orhan Saribal, an opposition politician for the province. 'A forest burning is like someone taking a gun and shooting at our homeland,' said Ibrahim Youmakli, the Turkish minister of agriculture and forestry. Youmakli added that at least 44 separate fires were burning across the country, with 17 blaze-related fatalities having been recorded since late June. Other regions affected include Antalya, Mersin and Kahramanmaras. Yılmaz Tunc, the justice minister, revealed that investigations into possible arson were under way. In Bursa a 30-year-old suspect, Ufuk A, was detained after locals spotted a petrol canister in his vehicle near the fire's origin. In Greece, firefighters continued to battle blazes on five fronts as the authorities issued a new high-risk fire alert for multiple regions, despite managing to contain a spate of wildfires over the weekend. In the Peloponnese area west of Athens, along with the islands of Crete, Evia, Kythira and Euboea, teams remained to handle any potential flare-ups. In one of the most serious incidents, a fire near the village of Drosopigi, close to Athens, burnt down two houses, forcing residents to flee. At least five civilians and six firefighters were taken to hospital for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation. More than 100 firefighters continue to battle the flames. Greece requested emergency support, through the EU Civil Protection mechanism, asking for six firefighting aircraft to join local forces. Teams from Italy and the Czech Republic have assisted. In Chania, Crete, a large fire damaged homes and a church. Crews on the popular tourist destination of Kythira were also fighting a large blaze estimated to have spread around half of the island, according to the deputy mayor Giorgos Komninos. 'Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt,' Komninos told the state-run ERT News channel. • Greece wildfires: is it safe to travel? Elsewhere in Europe, beachgoers on the coast of Sardinia were forced to flee by boat after a nearby wildfire blocked all other escape routes and trapped some 200 cars. Black smoke could be seen rising from the beach in Villasimius in the south of the island. Firefighters were also facing wildfires in Albania, Montenegro and Bulgaria amid unusually high temperatures across the continent. • Wildfires: could this be the worst year on record? Last month fires on Greece's fifth-biggest island, Chios, in the northern Aegean, swept across 11,600 acres. Earlier in July, a wildfire on the island of Crete forced the evacuation of 5,000 tourists. Greece's deadliest fire on record killed 104 people outside Athens in 2018. The country's government has repeatedly attributed rising rates of wildfires to climate change.
Gulf Today
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Gulf Today
Wildfires threaten Turkey's fourth-largest city as locals evacuate
Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks threatened the country's fourth-largest city early Sunday, causing more than 1,500 people to flee their homes and leaving a firefighter dead. Overnight fires in the forested mountains surrounding Bursa in northwest Turkey spread rapidly, tinting the night sky over the city's eastern suburbs with a red glow. Dozens of severe wildfires have hit the country daily since late June, with the government declaring two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik, disaster areas on Friday. Bursa governor's office said in a statement Sunday that 1,765 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast as more than 1,100 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed as surrounding forests burned. A firefighter died from a heart attack while on the job, the city's mayor, Mustafa Bozbey, said in a statement, adding that the flames had scorched 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) around the city. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, described the scene as "an apocalypse.' Residents and firefighters attempt to extinguish a wildfire as smoke and flames rise from a forested area in the Gursu district of Bursa early on Sunday. AFP By morning, lessening winds brought some respite to firefighters, who continued efforts to battle the flames. However, TV footage revealed an ashen landscape where farms and pine forests had earlier stood. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yamukli said fire crews across the country confronted 76 separate blazes Saturday. The country's northwest was under the greatest threat, including Karabuk, where wildfires have burned since Tuesday, he said. Unseasonally high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds have been fueling the wildfires. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The highest temperatures for July were seen in 132 other locations, it said. Fourteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir in western Turkey. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Saturday that prosecutors had investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, and that legal action had been taken against 97 suspects. Associated Press
France 24
17 hours ago
- Climate
- France 24
Turkey's fourth largest city at risk as wildfires sweep southern Europe
Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks threatened the country's fourth-largest city on Sunday, forcing more than 3,500 people to flee their homes and leaving two people dead. Greece, Bulgaria and Montenegro are also battling blazes fed by unusually high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds. Overnight fires in the forested mountains surrounding Bursa, in northwest Turkey, spread rapidly, tinting the night sky over the city's eastern suburbs with a red glow. Dozens of severe wildfires have hit the country daily since late June, with the government declaring the two western provinces of Izmir and Bilecik as disaster areas on Friday. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters late Sunday that 3,515 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast of Bursa as more than 1,900 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed as surrounding forests burned. A firefighter died from a heart attack while on the job, the city's mayor, Mustafa Bozbey, said, adding that the flames had scorched 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) around the city. One person was killed and two seriously injured when a water tanker fell into a ravine outside Bursa, local media reported. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, described the scene as 'an apocalypse.' By morning, lessening winds brought some respite to firefighters, who continued efforts to battle the flames. However, TV footage revealed an ashen landscape where farms and pine forests had earlier stood. Yumakli said fire crews across the country confronted 84 separate blazes Saturday. The country's northwest was under the greatest threat, including Karabuk, where wildfires have burned since Tuesday and 1,839 people have been evacuated from 19 villages. Aside from Bursa and Karabuk, a major fire was raging in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, the minister said, warning that growing winds could suddenly reignite fires not properly watered down after being extinguished. Beleagured firefighters and rescue workers saved thousands of livestock and pets that had been left behind in the rush to evacuate threatened areas. Local media also showed images of workers assisting wildlife caught among the fires. Unseasonably high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds have been fueling the wildfires. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The highest temperatures for July were seen in 132 other locations, it said. Fifteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir in western Turkey. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Saturday that prosecutors had investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, and that legal action had been taken against 97 suspects. In Greece, firefighters battled active wildfires in the country's southwest and on the island of Kythera on Sunday, following a blaze that scorched the northern Athens suburb of Kryoneri on Saturday. High temperatures, reaching 38 C (100 F) or more, persist across much of the country, though winds have eased slightly. In Kryoneri, 27 residents were evacuated overnight with police assistance after some initially ignored warnings. Authorities urged the public to comply with evacuation orders, warning that resistance puts both civilians and rescuers in danger. The fire service reported three people hospitalized with breathing issues and one firefighter treated for burns at a military hospital. On the island of Evia, where another fire is now under control, media reports indicate large numbers of animals perished in barns. On Bulgaria's southern borders with Greece and Turkey, as well as the western Serbian frontier, firefighters battled wildfires as the government declared the worst-hit provinces disaster zones. Residents across nearly half the country were issued with a code red warning, the highest level. National Fire Service chief Alexander Djartov told reporters that 236 wildfires were burning, many fanned by strong winds. The government had asked EU partners for help, he added, and aircraft were expected from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Hungary and Sweden later Sunday. In the southwestern Strumyani region, overnight blazes forced firefighters to retreat. They were reinforced Sunday by soldiers. Dozens of people fled their homes in the western Tran region as flames threatened villages near the Serbian border.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Climate
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Wildfires Threaten Türkiye's Fourth-largest City as Locals are Evacuated
Wildfires that have engulfed Türkiye for weeks threatened the country's fourth-largest city early Sunday, causing hundreds of people to flee their homes. Overnight fires in the forested mountains surrounding Bursa in northwest Türkiye spread rapidly, bringing a red glow to the night sky over the city's eastern suburbs. Bursa governor's office said in a statement Sunday that 1,765 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast as more than 1,100 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed as surrounding forests burned. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, described the scene as 'an apocalypse.' By morning, lessening winds brought some respite to firefighters, who continued efforts to bring down the flames. However, TV footage revealed an ashen landscape where farms and pine forests had earlier stood. Türkiye has been hit by dozens of wildfires daily since late June. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yamukli said fire crews across the country confronted 76 separate blazes Saturday. The fires are being fueled by unseasonally high temperatures, dry conditions and string winds. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Türkiye recorded its highest ever temperature, 50.5C (122.9F) in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The highest temperatures for July were seen in 132 other locations, it added. Yamukli said the country's northwest was under the greatest threat, including Karabuk, where wildfires have burned since Tuesday. Thirteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir in western Türkiye. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Saturday that prosecutors had investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, adding that legal action had been taken against 97 suspects. The severity of the fires led the government to declare two western provinces, Izmir and Bilecik, disaster areas on Friday.
