For the second day, Turkey is being hit by large fires, centered in the Izmir region, but also in other cities such as Denizli and Manisa. The fire broke out yesterday Sunday around 13.00:70 between the Seferihisar and Menderes districts, in the south and southwest of the Izmir province. It quickly grew in size as winds blew at a speed of 117-10 kilometers per hour, as the governor of the province, Suleyman Elban, said. Since yesterday, at least XNUMX settlements have been evacuated.
Strong winds prevented firefighting helicopters from intervening. Only two aircraft made airdrops, helping ground forces deal with the flames, Elban said.
Five neighborhoods were evacuated in the Seferihisar region, where the fire threatened homes.
An eyewitness who spoke to AFP by telephone said residents were cutting down trees in the village of Urkmez in an attempt to prevent the flames from reaching their homes.
Another fire, which broke out at a landfill in Gaziemir, 13 kilometers from the city center of Izmir, spread to forest land and threatened the Otoken industrial zone, where many car dealerships are located. According to footage broadcast by the private television channel NTV, one of them was burned down.
Izmir Airport has also temporarily suspended all flights to and from the city.
The fire was visible even from the Greek islands, while ashes reached Patmos. In Izmir, the flames that broke out between the Menderes and Seferihisar regions have spread dangerously due to gale-force winds blowing at speeds of 70 to 117 kilometers per hour.
The fronts threatened neighborhoods in the Urkmez region, with several houses damaged. Villages have been evacuated, while authorities continue precautionary evacuations in settlements in the path of the fire.
According to what was stated late at night by the governor of Izmir, Suleyman Elban, the situation remains critical, while strong ground and air forces are operating. However, strong winds are making the work of aircraft difficult.
The cause of the fire is attributed, according to initial estimates, to a problem with electrical cables, without an official conclusion yet.
However, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunç announced that 17 arrests have been made for possible arson activity.
At the same time, in neighboring Aydin, fire brigades are battling, as 48 separate fires have broken out in the last 93 hours.
Fires were also recorded in Manisa, Canakkale and Sakarya, with authorities reporting a total of nine major fires in the west of the country.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Ibrahim Yumakli, announced that the fires in Bilecik, Bolu and Sakarya have been brought under control.
Source: skai.gr
