A wildfire fueled by strong winds forced evacuations, prompted the precautionary evacuation of part of a state hospital and led to the closure of a major highway in southwestern Türkiye's Muğla province on Wednesday.
The blaze broke out in an agricultural area in the Bayır neighborhood of Seydikemer district before spreading into nearby forestland, where firefighting efforts continue under the coordination of the Muğla Governor's Office.
Authorities said 43 households, comprising 65 residents, were evacuated as a precaution, while the intensive care and palliative care units of Seydikemer State Hospital, located about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the fire zone, were also evacuated.
Dense smoke from the wildfire forced officials to temporarily close the Antalya-Seydikemer highway, disrupting traffic in the area.
The Muğla Governor's Office said the operation includes five aircraft, 18 helicopters, 93 fire engines, 3 rapid-response vehicles, 24 water tankers, 23 construction machines, 73 service vehicles, eight ambulances, 3 water cannon trucks (TOMA) and above 800 personnel.
Meanwhile, in southern Türkiye, firefighters were battling another wildfire that broke out in a forested area in the Kumluca district of Antalya. The blaze, which erupted in the Yazır neighborhood for reasons yet to be determined, was being fought with helicopters and numerous fire engines as strong winds increased the risk of it spreading.
Kumluca District Governor Bahadır Güneş said homes in the Yazır neighborhood were being evacuated as a precaution due to the advancing flames. Residents and holidaymakers left the area under the supervision of gendarmerie teams, while some evacuated with their animals. The fire reached the outskirts of residential areas, leaving some homes surrounded by dense smoke and flames.
The wildfire is burning about 5 kilometers from the site of a major forest fire that broke out in Erentepe neighborhood on June 24, 2016. That blaze spread to the Topbaş and Belenobası neighborhoods, destroying more than 10 homes and barns and damaging around 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of red pine forest and scrubland, as well as numerous greenhouses and olive, orange and pomegranate orchards.
In western Türkiye, another wildfire broke out in a forested and olive-growing area in the Edremit district of Balıkesir. The fire, which started near the Tekçam area of Altınoluk neighborhood for unknown reasons, prompted the deployment of Regional Directorate of Forestry teams. Firefighters were working to contain the blaze through coordinated aerial and ground operations.
In northwestern Türkiye, firefighters were also battling wildfires in the Armutlu district of Yalova and the Domaniç district of Kütahya. In Yalova, the blaze erupted in the Tersane area, where forests, pistachio and olive trees are located, with crews deploying six fire engines and two helicopters to contain the fire.
In Kütahya, a fire that started in an agricultural field spread to nearby forestland due to strong winds, prompting the deployment of Regional Directorate of Forestry teams, firefighters and fire engines as efforts continued to prevent the blaze from spreading further.
Since the beginning of the summer, authorities and experts have repeatedly warned that soaring temperatures, prolonged drought and strong winds have significantly increased the risk of wildfires across Türkiye.
Provincial governor's offices have imposed seasonal restrictions on access to forested areas, while officials continue to urge the public to avoid activities such as lighting fires, burning agricultural waste or discarding cigarette butts that could spark blazes.
