ANKARA: Rescuers in Türkiye have evacuated more than 50,000 people, mostly from the western province of Izmir, as firefighters battled a string of wildfires, the AFAD disaster agency said Monday (Jun 30).
The worst blaze began Sunday in Seferihisar, a forested area 50 kilometres southwest of the resort city of Izmir, spreading rapidly with winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour, officials said.
“A total of over 50,000 citizens from 41 settlements have been temporarily relocated to safe areas,” AFAD wrote on X, saying 79 people had been affected by smoke and other fire-related issues, none seriously.
Of that number, 42,300 were evacuated from Seferihisar, where TV footage showed huge areas of flame raging through forested areas, sending vast clouds of black smoke into the sky.
