Wildfires in southern Turkey forced more residents to flee their homes on Sunday, increasing pressure on the government for its slow response. Official data showed that Turkey has experienced its worst wildfires in at least a decade, having destroyed around 95,000 hectares so far this year, compared to an average of 13,516 hectares by this time of year between 2008 and 2020. Since the fires broke out on Wednesday, six people have died and over 330 have received medical treatment.
CNN Turk reported that a neighborhood in the tourist city of Bodrum was evacuated as flames spread from the nearby Milas region due to strong winds. It was further noted that 540 people were evacuated via boats due to the risks of being evacuated by road. NTv mentioned that additional evacuations occurred in the village of Sertkoi in Antalya province, while clouds of gray smoke enveloped homes.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli stated that 107 of the 112 fires are now under control, though some continued in resorts in Antalya and Muğla. High temperatures are expected to remain in the region, coinciding with record levels last month. The General Directorate of Meteorology recorded a temperature of 49.1 degrees Celsius on July 20 in the town of Cizre in Şırnak province. It is expected that the temperature in Antalya will reach 40 degrees Celsius on Monday.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense released satellite images showing the extent of the destruction where forest areas have turned black, and smoke is still visible. Opposition figures criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan late Saturday after video footage showed the president throwing tea bags at residents in the wildfire-affected areas. In another video, he was seen throwing tea at residents from a bus.
Republican People's Party spokesperson Faik Öztrak wrote on Twitter, “Tea! This is incredible. Those who are shameless, are also heartless.” The government has also faced criticism for a lack of firefighting aircraft, forcing Turkey to accept assistance from Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, and Ukraine. Experts warn that climate change will cause more harm in Turkey, leading to further wildfires if necessary measures are not taken to address the issue. According to EU figures, Turkey has experienced 133 wildfires this year compared to an average of 43 by this time of year between 2008 and 2020.
