A massive wildfire crisis is unfolding in Turkey, forcing more than 50,000 people to evacuate. Turkey firefighters, supported by an extensive aerial fleet that includes 27 planes, 105 helicopters, and 14 drones, are battling raging wildfires. Health alerts were issued in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Germany.
ANKARA JULY 1: A massive wildfire crisis is unfolding in Turkey, forcing more than 50,000 people to evacuate as flames spread rapidly across multiple regions. Emergency services are battling intense heat and strong winds to contain the blaze. People are evacuated as an early summer heatwave hit Europe.
Health alerts were issued in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Germany. Even the Netherlands, used to a milder climate, issued a warning for high temperatures in the coming days, coupled with high humidity. In France, where temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, wildfires broke out on Sunday in the southwestern Aude department.
Turkey firefighters, supported by an extensive aerial fleet that includes 27 planes, 105 helicopters, and 14 drones, are battling raging wildfires in the western Izmir and Manisa provinces and southern Hatay province.
Nearly 6,000 fire trucks and initial response vehicles, along with 25,000 forestry personnel, have been mobilised to contain the blazes.
Nearly 200 homes have been damaged nationwide as of Monday. Flights were grounded to and from Adnan Menderes Airport, which serves the coastal city of İzmir, a popular tourist destination.
The airport departure board shows a number of flights due to leave on Sunday evening have been suspended or cancelled, including several from Sun Express Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Aerlingus.
Türkey is witnessing a significant rise in forest fires with the onset of the summer season, with official figures showing 1,516 fires recorded since June 1.
