The Turkish fires have been caused by a southern European heatwave fed by hot air from North Africa. Experts have also mentioned how the intensity and frequency of wildfires have changed rapidly due to climate change. The wildfires have taken place for 6 days straight, causing the death of eight people and a lot to suffer. Also, Greece is suffering as firefighters there are trying to contain a blaze that has injured many.
Twenty-seven people were still being treated in hospitals in impacted areas, while thousands have been evacuated from their homes. Fires have been observed in many other regions of Turkey since Wednesday. While the majority have been extinguished, responders were still tacking seven blazes in the coastal provinces of Antalya and Mugla – popular tourist areas, and in Tunceli, southeast Turkey. Many villagers have lost properties and farm animals, while locals and tourists have fled vacation resorts in boats. The wildfires are the worst of their kind in at least a decade, with nearly 95,000 hectares (235,000 acres) burned so far this year
It has been said Turkey is facing the worst wildfires in its history. Support teams from Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and Azerbaijan have been deployed to help Turkish firefighters. Planes from Spain are expected to arrive on Tuesday while one from Croatia will join efforts on Monday, an EU official said.
Most of more than 100 blazes that erupted in Turkey in the last five days have been contained, authorities said. However, fires were still blazing in Manavgat and in Marmaris and the inland town of Milas, causing the evacuation of people from some residential areas and hotels.
The Turkish government pledged to rebuild damaged homes and compensate for losses in areas affected by the fires. At least 13 planes, 45 helicopters, drones, and 828 fire-fighting vehicles were involved in firefighting efforts. Eleven though Turkey is not part of the European Union, the EU said it had helped mobilize three fire-fighting planes on Sunday, one from Croatia and two from Spain after Turkey activated a disaster response scheme to request help from other European countries.
SOURCES
Research Coordinator - Umme Affa Ibnat Masud
Editor and Graphics - Vaishnavi Bhojane
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