The Albany Gazette - Turkey battles wind-fuelled wildfires on tourist coasts

Authorities in the western province of Balikesir, where firefighters continue to tackle blazes around three towns, reported five people injured, "including three firefighters... a forestry official and a civilian".

"They are currently being treated at hospital in Ayvalik. Their lives are not in danger," the provincial authorities said.

Six water bombing planes, seven helicopters, 56 fire engines, three water cannons, 920 firefighters and 60 volunteers have been brought in to bring the fires under control around the towns of Ayvalik, Burhaniye and Gomec, they said.

Three villages near Ayvalik, which is on the Aegean Sea and in front of the Greek island of Lesbos, had been evacuated alongside 720 cattle, they added.

"We are continuing to fight the wildfires day and night," Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on X.

He said emergency responders had tackled 169 fires across the country since Wednesday "163 of which have been completely brought under control".

He was speaking before several hotspots reignited, including in Fethiya, on the southwest coast.

Private television network NTV said strong winds reaching 50–60 kilometres (40 miles) per hour caused a fire to restart near the village of Bagyuzu, around 30 kilometres from Ayvalik.

TRT public television showed a man carrying a goat on his shoulders away from a fire near Fethiye.

The agriculture ministry sent a text message alert to residents of regions considered to be at high risk of wildfires in the south and west of the country.

It did not specify how many hectares were affected or whether any homes had been damaged.

Turkey, which experienced early wildfires in 2025 due to drought, had been spared until now thanks to heavy winter rains and snowfall that replenished groundwater and protected vegetation.

In addition, access to forests in the most vulnerable areas was closed at the beginning of the summer holiday season.

The world generally could face a year of especially severe wildfires, fuelled by manmade climate change and a potentially strong El Nino weather phenomenon, researchers at Imperial College London and the World Weather Attribution network of climate scientists warned in May.

(R.White--TAG)