A generationThe worst forest fires in years are raging in Turkey.As of Wednesday, a total of 63 of the 82 provinces were partially damaged in 21 of the provinces burn Erupted. The Ankara Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry stated that as of Friday, only 43 fires had been brought under control. So far, 4 people have died in the fire and at least 183 people have been injured. Tens of thousands of hectares of forest, large agricultural areas and at least 20 houses were destroyed.
The most affected are the Mediterranean provinces, from Mugla in the west via Antalya and Mersin to Adana in the east, as well as inland provinces such as Kayseri, Kahramanmaras and Dia Bakir, as well as Bariksir and Kocaeli in the northwest. The fire extinguishing work continues unabated. According to the government, there are 3 planes, 38 helicopters and 4,000 rescuers in action. There are conflicting claims about the cause of the unusually violent forest fires. There is no doubt that the strong wind played a role. However, arson is not excluded.
Flame near the resort Manavgat
The worst fire rages near the Mediterranean town of Manavgat, which is popular with holidaymakers due to its many smaller waterfalls. On Wednesday, the first fire broke out in four places there at the same time. Under the blowing of the north wind, the fire spread rapidly. Locals attacked two people near the fire, and they accused them of deliberately arson. Only when the police intervened, the two were not lynched.
In the tourist city of Marmaris, the fire brigade put out the fire just a few meters away from the city and its hotels, and individual areas of the city have been evacuated. The Marmaris Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. Two hotels near the resort town of Bodrum were also evacuated.
The Minister of Agriculture Bekir Pakdemirili stated that the forest fire was a deliberate act of destruction. This shows that many fires occurred at the same time. The state broadcaster TRT accused PKK of arson. In contrast, Engin Özköc, deputy head of the opposition CHP of the Turkish parliament, said after a meeting with the Minister of the Interior Süleyman Soylu that there was no evidence of sabotage.On the contrary, numerous forest fires are the result of current fires Heat wave The temperature is 40 degrees.
Favored by the strong north wind
For Turkish forest scientist Tuncay Neyisci, the severity of forest fires is not surprising. The fire in Manavgat spread rapidly. Thanks to the strong north wind Poyraz, there was no resistance in the Aksu Valley. For a long time, science has recommended specific measures, such as planting cypress trees to resist wind. However, nothing happened. Therefore, in the future, there will be devastating forest fires in the flat areas near Manavgat. Neyisci also criticized that hardly any effective measures have been taken to protect the settlements from the fire.
There was no sign of relaxation in Italy on Friday. Since the beginning of this week, the situation in Sicily has reached a culmination after the fire department took control of the raging fires in western Sardinia. On Friday night, fire fighting was concentrated in the areas around the villages of Altofonte and Piana degli Albanesi, south of Palermo. The strong wind also contributed to the flames. Several firefighting aircraft are in use. On Friday, the area was also filled with smoke. Dozens of operations related to forest and bush fires have been reported on Thursday.
Heat waves in Greece and Turkey
The entire Friday is the day with the highest fire risk in Sicily and Sardinia. On the two islands in the Mediterranean, the temperature is over 30 degrees, dry and hot. According to reports, there have also been several fires on the mainland, especially in southern Italy.
At the same time, the Italian Prosecutor’s Office has begun an investigation into the suspected arson case. Investigated whether the fire in the area around Monteferu in the province of Oristano was caused by negligence or deliberate arson. As reported by ANSA News Agency, there is no specific suspicion yet. The fire caused severe damage in the western provinces. Approximately 20,000 hectares of land, especially olive groves, were destroyed. Hundreds of people had to leave their homes. According to media reports, the loss was in the three-digit millions. The Cagliari regional government stated that it will speed up the aid approval process so that citizens and businesses can get aid faster. The Coldiretti Agricultural Association announced that the reforestation of forests and olive groves will take up to 15 years.
At the same time, the heat wave in Greece that has been going on since the beginning of this week is reaching its peak. The weekend should be around 40 degrees, and the new week will be even hotter. Meteorologists estimate that the temperature in central Greece is as high as 45 degrees. At night, the value in the metropolitan area will not be lower than 30 degrees.
Meteorological experts on national television said that the heat wave is one of the longest in decades. Therefore, the daytime temperature after August 8th should only be lower than 40 degrees.
The civil defense department ordered to stop or reduce outdoor work as much as possible. The city has opened an air-conditioned hall where people without air-conditioning can take refuge here. The doctor advised residents and tourists not to stay under the scorching sun and not to drink alcohol. You should shower more frequently and wear light, loose cotton clothing.
