The flames are blazing in Turkey for almost a week. It’s hot, it’s windy, the fire is spreading faster than the emergency services can react. Eight people have already lost their lives. The fire brigade is fighting – but it’s not just the weather that troubles them.
Turkey does not have a single fire-fighting aircraft! President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, 67, admitted last week that he didn’t have one in his inventory. The European Union must now step in.
Three fire-fighting planes, one from Croatia and two from Spain, had been mobilized, according to a communication from the EU Commission. According to official Turkish information, fire-fighting planes were also requested from Ukraine, Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan.
Tourists evacuated by boat
Forest fires broke out in several provinces of Turkey on Wednesday. The south-west Turkish provinces of Antalya and Mugla are particularly hard hit. Numerous places were evacuated, including the resort of Turunc in Marmaris. As the Turkish newspaper «Hürriyet» reported, tourists were brought to safety by boat from the place in a bay. On Monday, the temperatures in the affected Turkish regions were just under 40 degrees.
Of 129 fires, 122 were brought under control, said the communications director of the Turkish President, Fahrettin Altun, on Monday night via Twitter. (SDA / hah)