Firefighters are currently battling wildfires in multiple provinces across Turkey, Greece, and Albania, fueled by strong winds following days of intense heat in the Mediterranean region. In Turkey, a wildfire in the Black Sea province of Karabuk has been raging for six days, leading to the evacuation of over a dozen villages and significant forest destruction. Tragically, three firefighters lost their lives in a vehicle crash in the northwestern province of Bursa. Furthermore, more than 3,600 residents were evacuated from areas in Mersin and Antalya due to ongoing fires.
Turkey has faced a surge in wildfires recently due to soaring temperatures, with ten firefighters perishing last week in Eskisehir province. The Mediterranean region typically experiences hot and dry summers, but escalating heatwaves have intensified the threat of wildfires in recent years amid rising global temperatures.
Greece has also been grappling with a wildfire crisis, with 44 wildfires reported in the past 24 hours. In Kythera, a fire reignited due to strong winds, while in Athens, firefighters swiftly contained a fire near Mount Hymettus. Over the weekend, several Greek villages were evacuated, and separate wildfires resulted in five injuries.
In Serbia, rainy weather aided firefighters in controlling over 100 wildfires, while Albania mobilized over 900 firefighters, supported by the military, to combat a wildfire threatening Saranda and other coastal tourist destinations. Law enforcement officials in Albania have arrested 13 individuals for suspected arson-related activities in the past three days.
Adjacent to Turkey, Bulgaria, with assistance from European nations, deployed firefighting aircraft to combat a large wildfire near the Bulgarian-Turkish border. The fires have ravaged nearly 6,500 hectares so far, with two individuals detained for investigation into the fire’s cause.
The escalating threat of wildfires due to extreme weather conditions and climate change underscores the urgent need for enhanced prevention and response measures.