Turkey Battles Intense Wildfires In Izmir, 50,000 Evacuated As Airport Operations Disrupted (Pic: X)
Turkiye continues fighting intense wildfires for a second day on Monday across its western Izmir province, prompting evacuations of more than 50,000 residents from 41 affected regions. Local authorities dispatched over 1,000 personnel alongside helicopters, firefighting aircraft, and ground vehicles to control the blaze. The fires intensified due to strong overnight winds reaching 40–50 km/h (25–30 mph), which spread the flames rapidly through the Kuyucak and Doğanbey areas. Turkish Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed these details during firefighting efforts.
The Turkish disaster agency AFAD confirmed via X that most evacuees came from areas near Izmir, a popular resort region. The fires forced authorities to suspend operations at Izmir’s Adnan Menderes Airport. Scorched hills and thick smoke filled the skyline as helicopters dropped water across fire zones. In a remarkable display of community response, local residents used tractors equipped with water tanks to battle the flames. Challenging winds initially grounded helicopters, leaving water-bombing planes and ground crews as the primary firefighting forces.
The initial wildfire broke out on Sunday between Seferihisar and Menderes districts and quickly intensified with wind gusts reaching 117 km/h (75 mph), according to Governor Süleyman Elban. Meanwhile, another fire ignited at a landfill site in Gaziemir, just 13 km (8 miles) from Izmir’s centre, spreading into nearby forests and threatening the Otokent industrial zone, home to several car dealerships. Coastal areas like Izmir have seen a rise in wildfire threats in recent years, as scientists link hotter, drier summers to climate change. The same region in Izmir suffered a major wildfire just last year, raising ongoing concerns over preparedness.
(With Inputs From ANI)
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