ISTANBUL: Hundreds of residents have fled their homes as firefighters battle a fierce wildfire sweeping through Turkey’s historic Gallipoli peninsula.
The blaze began on Saturday in Canakkale province, rapidly spreading through dry hills near Gelibolu town along the strategic Dardanelles Strait.
Canakkale governor Omer Toraman confirmed 250 people were evacuated from five villages overnight, with two more communities cleared on Sunday.
“So far, the fire has not spread to the evacuated areas,“ Toraman stated on social media platform X, adding that nearby war cemeteries remained unharmed.
The drought-stricken region, home to ancient Troy and World War I battlefields, has endured “extremely severe drought” conditions over the past year.
Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli reported 1,300 personnel were combating the flames using 12 planes, 18 helicopters and 343 ground vehicles.
Although seasonal winds initially hampered firefighting efforts, calmer conditions on Sunday allowed crews to make “progressing more positive” headway.
Authorities have closed access to historical sites near Eceabat town as a precaution while the wildfire continues to burn.
This incident follows another major blaze earlier in the week that forced over 2,000 people to flee the southern Dardanelles area.
European monitoring data shows Turkey has suffered 192 wildfires this year, scorching more than 110,373 hectares of land.
Climate experts warn that human-induced climate change is intensifying both the frequency and severity of such natural disasters across the region. – AFP
