Daijiworld Media Network – Istanbul

Istanbul, Jul 28: Firefighters are battling wildfires across Turkey, Greece, Albania, and other Mediterranean regions after days of intense heat and strong winds triggered multiple blazes.

In Turkey’s Karabuk province, thick smoke covered the skies as a forest fire continued for the sixth day, forcing over a dozen villages to evacuate. The province lies 200 km north of Ankara and has seen vast swathes of woodland reduced to ash. Meanwhile, in Bursa, three firefighters lost their lives on Sunday after their vehicle crashed while responding to a blaze.

Over 3,600 people have been evacuated in Turkey’s southern provinces of Mersin and Antalya, where separate fires continue to rage. Last week, 10 firefighters were killed in Eskisehir while combating a major blaze, highlighting the severe toll on emergency services.

Across the Aegean Sea, Greece reported at least 44 wildfires in the past 24 hours. In Kythera, a fire burning since Saturday was reignited by strong winds. A separate blaze in Athens, near Mount Hymettus and close to densely populated areas, was swiftly brought under control.

In Albania, more than 900 firefighters supported by the army worked to prevent a wildfire from reaching the popular coastal city of Saranda and other tourist hotspots. Police have arrested 13 individuals in the past three days on suspicion of arson.

Neighboring Bulgaria, with assistance from several European countries, deployed firefighting aircraft to battle a large wildfire near the Turkish border. Around 16,000 acres have already been scorched.

Meanwhile, in Serbia, rainy weather helped bring more than 100 wildfires under control after the country experienced high temperatures earlier in the week.

Authorities across the Mediterranean are on high alert as the region endures yet another year of extreme weather events, driven by fast-rising global temperatures.