A massive wildfire has broken out in Muğla Province in southern Turkey, prompting authorities to deploy extensive resources to bring the flames under control. Strong winds have fueled the spread of the fire, while challenging conditions continue in other parts of the country as well.
According to local authorities, the firefighting operation includes five aircraft, 18 helicopters, more than 90 firefighting vehicles, and hundreds of personnel working to contain the blaze.
“We are working continuously to bring the fire under full control,” Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said in a statement on the social media platform X.
The Muğla Governor’s Office reported that the fire initially started in a rural area before spreading into forested regions. As a precautionary measure, authorities evacuated 202 people, while patients from a local hospital were also relocated.
Turkish media reported that the highway connecting Antalya and Fethiye was closed due to heavy smoke. Access to the archaeological site of Mount Olympus was also restricted because of the fire risk.
Meanwhile, another wildfire was reported on Wednesday afternoon in a forested area of Balıkesir Province in western Turkey, along the route connecting İzmir and the Dardanelles.
Authorities continue operations to contain both fires, with no casualties reported so far. /Panorama
