With unusually high temperatures in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, forests in several countries have started to catch fire and burn. Among the countries where fires are burning are Turkey, Greece, and Albania, as well as Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast. While forests in three different provinces of Turkey are burning, some areas of Greece and forests in an area where a tourist resort is located in Albania have also caught fire. The largest fire in Turkey has broken out in Karabük Province, 22 kilometers north of the capital Ankara. This is an area on the Black Sea coast. The forests in this area started burning six days ago. While teams are working continuously to extinguish the fires, the flames have spread to some neighborhoods.
In addition to Karabük, forests in Bursa Province in northwestern Turkey have also caught fire. The country’s Ministry of Forestry stated that three people who were working to extinguish the fires in that area have died. Furthermore, fires in the forests of Mersin and Antalya provinces in southern Turkey have spread to populated areas, forcing 3,600 people to be evacuated to safer locations, according to relevant authorities in the country. Besides Turkey, forests in Greece are also burning. Greek authorities said that fires have broken out in 44 different areas in the past 24 hours. This includes Kythira, an island in the south of the country. Additionally, a fire has broken out near Mount Hymettus. However, Greek authorities have reported that this fire has been extinguished.
A team of 900 people is working to control the forest fires in Albania. Authorities in the country revealed that a large fire is moving towards Saranda, a resort town on the Albanian coast. Police in the country disclosed that 13 people have been arrested on suspicion of starting fires in some areas of the country.
Massive fires are also spreading in the border region between Bulgaria and Turkey. Bulgarian authorities stated that about 100 fires are burning in various regions of the country. Teams from some European Union (EU) countries have been sent to assist in controlling these fires. However, authorities in the country have revealed that an area of 6,475 hectares has already been burned and destroyed.
