Firefighters Battle Fierce Wildfires in Canakkale

Firefighters in Turkey's Canakkale province are confronting wildfires fueled by strong winds, causing hundreds of residents to evacuate, as reported by local authorities on Monday.

Roughly 700 personnel, alongside airplanes, helicopters, and vehicles, are engaged in combating the flames. Governor Omer Toraman noted on X that precautionary evacuations have commenced, affecting areas such as a university campus, military zones, and residential spaces. Authorities emphasized the importance of keeping roads unobstructed for emergency responders while the fires rage.

Canakkale's airport and the Dardanelles Strait, along with a section of the main highway, were temporarily closed amid the blazes, reopening post-sunset. Reuters visuals captured the fires consuming vast forest expanses and releasing thick smoke into the atmosphere. Helicopters collected water from the Dardanelles Strait to combat the wildfires, and police vehicles were deployed to extinguish flames threatening residential structures. The region endured temperatures as high as 33 degrees Celsius and winds reaching 66 km/h, according to meteorological reports. Fifty individuals affected by smoke received medical attention, though none experienced life-threatening conditions.

(With inputs from agencies.)