A wildfire in southeastern Turkey has claimed the lives of at least five people and injured dozens more.
The blaze, fueled by extreme heat, erupted near the town of Mardin and has rapidly spread, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The Toll of the Blaze
The wildfire, which began on Thursday, has resulted in the deaths of three residents from Diyarbakir and two from Mardin.
In addition, ten individuals have sustained severe injuries, according to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, who shared the information on social media platform X on Friday.
Southern Europe and parts of Western Asia have been grappling with soaring temperatures, heightening the risk of wildfires.
The inferno in Turkey is currently raging between Mardin and Diyarbakir, with strong winds exacerbating the situation by spreading the flames to five villages.
Emergency Response in Action
The Turkish government has mobilized significant resources to combat the wildfire. Four rescue teams and 35 ambulances have been dispatched to the affected areas. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that the blaze started approximately 30 kilometers south of Diyarbakir and quickly spread due to the wind.
Officials believe the fire originated from an area where crop stubble was being burned. The government is also battling another wildfire in northwestern Turkey, near the town of Ayvacik in Canakkale province, as reported by the state news agency Anadolu.
Last fall, Turkey took proactive measures to combat wildfires by closing the Dardanelles Strait, allowing firefighting teams to collect water to douse the flames. The Dardanelles, a critical maritime passage leading to the Aegean Sea, serves as a vital route for ships departing the Black Sea.
