Ankara: Wildfires burning across Trkiye have claimed the lives of more than a dozen people and prompted the evacuation of tens of thousands as authorities engage in a large-scale effort to contain the blazes amid intense heat and strong winds.

According to TRTworld.com, wildfires remain active in at least seven provinces, including Karabuk, Antalya, Mersin, Ankara, and Kahramanmaras, where rugged terrain and dry vegetation have complicated firefighting efforts.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli reported that major fires in Silifke (Mersin), Serik (Antalya), and the Usak-Sivasli region have been brought under control, while cooling operations continue in Gazipasa, Antalya. Fires also erupted near residential areas in Bursa, Trkiye’s fourth-largest city, early Sunday, leading to the closure of major roads and the evacuation of nearby villages.

Minister Yumakli stated that the country remains on high alert around the clock with 27 aircraft, 105 helicopters, nearly 6,000 ground vehicles, 25,000 forestry personnel, and 132,000 volunteers actively engaged in firefighting efforts. Trkiye’s disaster response agency, AFAD, announced that 8,269 livestock animals were relocated from at-risk areas in several provinces, including Afyonkarahisar, Bilecik, Eskisehir, Antalya, Usak, Sakarya, and Karabuk.

Damage assessments were conducted in multiple regions, covering 56 homes, four barns, nine haylofts, and 10 storage units. Authorities have extended support to affected households to aid recovery. The government responded to 84 separate fires across the country on a single day, with 36 occurring in forested areas and 48 outside them.

Minister Yumakli emphasized the ongoing high-risk period, noting that vigilance must be maintained until at least October 2025. He urged the public to assist in preventing further outbreaks, describing prevention as the least costly and most effective form of fire control. Yumakli cautioned against lighting fires in open areas, especially at picnic sites over weekends, appealing for public cooperation in these efforts.

Legal proceedings have been initiated in various provinces over suspected arson, with the Interior Ministry confirming that 97 suspects are under investigation for fire-related offenses since the season began. Trkiye’s wildfires coincide with a wave of extreme heat and fire outbreaks across southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean, affecting countries like Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, and France.

In Syria’s Latakia province, fires scorched over 16,000 hectares before being contained, with international teams from Trkiye, Iraq, and other neighboring states aiding in firefighting efforts. The European Forest Fire Information System reports that over 237,000 km² have burned across the continent this year, with more than 1,200 wildfires recorded so far.

Meteorologists warn that an unusually hot Mediterranean Sea could intensify storms and wildfires through August, increasing the threat. The World Health Organization has linked the surge in fires, floods, and heatwaves to accelerating climate change, cautioning that without urgent adaptation, heat-related deaths in Europe could double by 2050.