Raging Turkey Wildfires Set off Vacationer Evacuation within the Antalya resort area
Severe fires in Bodrum and Marmaris, Turkey
- Evacuation arranged in the Turkish resorts of Bodrum and Marmaris.
- The forest fires burn very close to houses and hotels.
- The Turkish Navy is taking part in the fight against forest fires.
The forest fires in Turkey hit the resorts of Marmaris and Bodrum. Local authorities ordered the evacuation of tourists and residents.
The fires first started in a sparsely populated region about 75 kilometers (45 miles) east of Antalya, a popular resort town particularly popular with Russian and other Eastern European tourists, but also with Germans.
But on Thursday they approached the sandy beaches with hotels and resorts.
Pictures on social media and on Turkish television showed residents jumping out of their cars and running for their lives through smoky streets lit by orange flames.
Because of the strong fires, people were first evacuated in Marmaris.
The forest burns very close to houses and hotels.
Some tourists continue to play ball on the beach despite the fires
Turkey’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Bekir Pakdemirli, said five helicopters, one airplane and 30 fire engines are fighting the devastating fires in the region.
The latest fire is seen in the resort of Bodrum. People are being evacuated. Units of the Turkish Navy are involved in desperate attempts to keep the fires going.
Due to the heat wave in the region, the current forest fires started, the most severe in recent years. To date, four people have died in the disaster and 183 have suffered from smoke.
Previously, Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the fires were pulling out of hotels and houses.
The Minister said: “Because the intervention was carried out on time and with large equipment, the fire was prevented from spreading towards the coast. Later roads to tourist areas were closed. “
Today, Bodrum has been one of the most important commercial, arts and entertainment centers for centuries … This coastal city, where traditional and modern life go hand in hand in excellent harmony, opens its arms to those who want to know it and live it.
