It’s not just California struggling to contain a series of major wildfires this year. Reports out of Turkey reveal how firefighters are battling to keep as many over 100 different wildfires under control that are threatening towns, memorials, monuments, and even graves at a World War I battle site.
Fires are tearing through an area populated by a number of World War I memorials, including the Gallipoli Peninsula Historical Site that honors the more than 500,000 soldiers who died in Gallipoli.
On Sunday, August 18th, firefighters continued to battle blazes—it was the fourth day of fighting fires—in many areas across western Turkey.
According to the Turkish government’s Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD), more than 131 forest fires in total have emerged over the last week alone. Experts say that a combination of strong winds, high summer temperatures, and low humidity have all contributed to the problem. Some experts also suggested that climate change may have had an impact on the fires.
The fires have spread so quickly and caused so much damage that thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate. Thanks to the quick thinking of local emergency workers and government officials, however, there have been no reported casualties so far.
According to Ibrahim Yumaklı, the Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, 69 wildfires have been successfully contained by emergency workers, and there are five remaining active blazes across Bolu, Karabuk, Manisa, Imir, and Aydın. The government advised that local people remain cautious over the weekend as emergency workers tackle the fire from long and air, using a combination of land vehicles and airborne fire-fighting equipment.
Local people are also advised not to light outdoor fires for the next two weeks because of dry weather conditions in the country.
The news comes as California faces new wildfire threats. On August 18, a new wildfire in Los Angeles County, California, was confirmed at 9:49 am. The wildfire began on private land, and authorities have yet to confirm the cause.
