In Pictures
Wildfires fanned by strong winds scorch Turkiye’s Izmir
Blaze in the western province forces evacuations as strong winds hamper firefighters’ efforts.
Firefighters are battling wildfires for the second day in Turkiye’s western province of Izmir, according to local authorities and media reports.
The blaze in Kuyucak and Doganbey areas of Izmir was fanned overnight by winds reaching 40-50kmph (25-30mph), and four villages and two neighbourhoods had been evacuated, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on Monday.
Helicopters, fire-extinguishing aircraft and other vehicles, and more than 1,000 people were trying to extinguish the fires, he told reporters in Izmir.
Turkiye’s coastal regions have been ravaged by wildfires in recent years as summers have become hotter and drier, which scientists relate to climate change.
