The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed that a fire in the forests of Mugla state has been largely controlled.
Earlier, officials said, firefighters struggled to put out a massive fire in a forest in southwestern Turkey on Wednesday, in scenes reminiscent of fires that destroyed tens of thousands of hectares in the same area last year.
Forestry Minister Vahid Kerichi, who visited the area known as Bordopet near the Aegean resort of Marmaris, said 20 helicopters and 14 other specialized aircraft were taking part in the efforts to put out the fire.
"Intensive efforts by our teams to control the fires are continuing," Kirichi added on Twitter, noting that residential areas were out of danger.
Aerial footage released by local forest authorities showed plumes of smoke rising from the area as fires fanned by strong winds spread through the forests in a sparsely populated area.
The Mugla provincial governor's office said the fire broke out around 8 pm (1700 GMT) on Tuesday, but it was not clear what caused it.
The Turkish Communications Department said nearly 1,500 personnel and more than 360 vehicles were participating in the firefighting effort.
Last summer's fires were the most intense on record in Turkey, the European Union's weather watchdog said, noting that the Mediterranean basin had become the epicenter of forest fires.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has been criticized for not being adequately prepared to deal with last year's fires. She defended herself by saying that the fires were the worst in Turkey's history.
Scientists say climate change caused by human activities is making heat waves more frequent and more intense.
The Source
- Agencies