A wildfire tearing through Turkey's Antalya Aksu district has destroyed at least one property and forced numerous residents to flee, with firefighting teams battling the blaze from air and ground.
The fire sparked at approximately 6pm local time on Monday, September 7, and powerful winds pushed the flames into built-up areas, completely gutting at least one home. Smoke was visible billowing from the Karaöz neighbourhood, according to Turkish publication Cumhuriyet.
Evacuations and Road Closures
The winds have propelled the fire towards the boundaries of the Döşemealtı, Kızıllı, and Ilıca districts, prompting additional evacuations, including from an animal shelter. Numerous locals have been evacuated, and the route from Karaoz into central Antalya has been shut to vehicles owing to the flames.
Ahmet Karakış, an elected official for the Aksu district, stated: "We evacuated many houses in the neighbourhood immediately after the fire started. So far, one house has burned down completely. Thank God there are no casualties. We are working with all our might to extinguish the fire."
Firefighting Efforts and Response
Approximately 45 fire engines and 275 firefighters are fighting to contain the flames, supported by nine helicopters and three aircraft. Water cannons are being deployed across neighbouring districts in a bid to halt the advancing blaze, while access to the affected zone has been restricted.
"Our teams are intervening from the air and the ground in the spot fires caused by flammable materials spreading due to the energy of the main fire," the Regional Forestry Directorate said in a statement.
Residents Take Action
Locals have also been attempting to halt the fire's progress by constructing barriers to safeguard their properties. One resident, Muhammet Özdemir, told Cumhuriyet: "They told me there was a fire near my house. Both the right and left sides are burning. It came right up to my house. There's nothing left, not even a tree."
There have been no reported casualties. Police have urged residents to vacate their properties as a precautionary measure. The origin of the fire remains unclear. This summer, record-breaking wildfires tore through parts of the Mediterranean, driven by extreme temperatures.
