A wildfire in Turkey's Antalya province has forced several evacuations and destroyed at least one home as strong winds drove flames toward residential areas.
The fire broke out in the Aksu district at around 6pm local time on Monday, September 7. Strong winds pushed the blaze into residential areas, with at least one house completely destroyed. Smoke was reported spreading from the Karaöz neighbourhood, according to Turkish outlet Cumhuriyet.
Fire Spreads to Neighbouring Districts
The wind also drove the blaze to the borders of the Döşemealtı, Kızıllı, and Ilıca districts, with further evacuations taking place, including at an animal shelter. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Around 45 fire engines and 275 firefighters are working to bring the blaze under control, assisted by nine helicopters and three planes. Many residents have been evacuated, and the road from Karaöz into the centre of Antalya has been closed to traffic due to flames.
Residents Describe Devastation
"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," a statement from the Regional Forestry Directorate said. Locals have also been building barricades to protect their homes from the advancing flames.
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."
No Casualties Reported
No casualties have been reported. Ahmet Karakış, an elected official for the Aksu district, said: "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."
Police have told people to leave their homes as a precaution. Water cannons are being deployed in surrounding districts to stop the advancing wildfire, and people are not being allowed to exit into the zone. Wildfires ripped through parts of Europe on an unprecedented scale this summer due to extreme temperatures.
