Wildfires that have raged across Turkey for weeks reached the outskirts of the country’s fourth-largest city, Bursa, early Sunday, prompting the evacuation of more than 1,700 residents and claiming the life of a firefighter.
Fires erupted overnight in the forested mountains surrounding the northwestern city, casting a red glow across the eastern suburbs and burning through about 3,000 hectares of land, according to Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey.
The Bursa governor’s office said 1,765 people were evacuated from northeastern villages, while over 1,900 firefighters battled the flames. The highway connecting Bursa to the capital Ankara was closed due to nearby forest fires.
One firefighter died of a heart attack during operations, the mayor said.
Opposition lawmaker Orhan Saribal described the scene as “an apocalypse.”
Although calming winds brought slight relief to firefighters by morning, television footage showed charred farmland and pine forests.
Turkey’s Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said 84 separate wildfires were reported nationwide on Saturday. The country’s northwest, including Karabuk province, faced the greatest threat.
The fires have been fueled by unusually high temperatures, dry weather, and strong winds. The General Directorate of Meteorology reported a record 50.5°C in southeastern Sirnak province on Friday, the highest ever recorded in Turkey.
Fourteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers in a fire in Eskisehir on Wednesday.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said legal action has been taken against 97 suspects in connection with fire incidents investigated in 33 provinces since June 26.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria and Serbia are also battling severe wildfires, with several areas declared disaster zones.
