Almost all forest fires in Turkey under control, misery in Bodrum and Marmaris not over yet

Of the 129 wildfires that have been raging in Turkey since Wednesday, 122 have already been brought under control. That says a Turkish government spokesman.

At Bodrum, Marmaris and Manavgat on Turkey’s south coast, the fires that have not yet been extinguished endanger the inhabitants: they are being evacuated, including along the sea. The death toll is currently at eight.

They are the worst wildfires in years. According to official data, nearly 95,000 hectares of forest have already been reduced to ashes this year. By way of comparison: since 2008, an average of approximately 13,500 hectares of forest have burned down.

Thousands of firefighters are working to fight the fire, drones and 45 fire-fighting helicopters are also being deployed. Yet, the Turkish government has been criticized for not having fire-fighting planes that can spread water over a wider area.