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August 16, 2024 – 6:55 PM
Istanbul, Aug 16 (EFE).- A fire front fueled by strong winds is approaching several residential areas on the outskirts of Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city, on Friday, ravaging an industrial estate and forcing the evacuation of nearly a hundred homes.
The fire broke out yesterday shortly after dusk in the Yamanlar Mountains north of the city and has continued to spread throughout the day, with new outbreaks emerging, Forest Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said at a press conference.
“Fortunately there are no victims, but 16 houses have been burned and 87 houses and 44 commercial premises have had to be evacuated,” said the minister.
The municipality has also evacuated some 250 animals, including donkeys, horses and ducks, from three shelters in the area, Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay said on his X account.
The governor of the province, Süleyman Elban, told reporters that five planes and 15 helicopters were supporting the firefighting efforts, but that strong winds, with gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour, were sometimes preventing aerial intervention.
The flames have spread to the hills north of Karsiyaka, a district on the northern coast of the Gulf of Izmir, but the entire city of nearly three million people has been affected by the thick blanket of smoke stretching out over the sea.
At the same time, Turkey is still battling two other major fires, one in the forests of Manisa province, about 80 kilometres east of Izmir, and another in Bolu province, east of Istanbul, where several villages have been evacuated.
A fire that devastated a World War I military cemetery on the Gallipoli peninsula last night was brought under control today, but high temperatures have allowed outbreaks to spread across the country.
Today alone, 47 large fires have broken out, of which 30 have been brought under control, while work continues to extinguish the other 17, Yumakli said.
The minister warned that high temperatures with low humidity and strong winds will continue for the next few days, so he asked citizens not to make any kind of fire outdoors and to remain on high alert.
Although temperatures are not extreme this summer, the heat wave began at the beginning of June, earlier than in other years, causing unusual dryness of vegetation and water shortages in some regions.EFE
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