Summer is typically an active time of year for popular Turkish coastal towns, as tourists flock there to enjoy sun-soaked beaches and tranquil ocean vistas. However, things have been very different this year for some well-known coastal cities. Instead of opening their doors to visitors, emergency services are springing into action to fight vast wildfires that are underway in many areas of the country.
Among the cities that have faced the worst of the wildfires is Ayvalik, which is a very picturesque coastal town facing the Aegean sea. This town is known for its splendid old streets and incredible views towards the beautiful Greek island of Lesbos, but the fire took over before anyone realized it was even happening. Due to the critical situation reaching dangerous levels, the authorities made a fast decision to clear out three villages nearby.
However, the rescue operation is not only focused just on moving inhabitants to safety as many farm animals have been relocated also due to the fire. Firefighters have also been actively working to prevent the flames from reaching houses and agricultural land. There are photos showing members of the community carrying their animals away in order to save them
Fighting fires of this magnitude necessitates a huge operation. Turkey has deployed aircraft to drop water, helicopters, fire engines, water cannons and hundreds of firefighters along with a large number of volunteers. Most rescuers are working in Ayvalik, Burhaniye and Gomec, where the wind was still posing a considerable challenge to firefighters.
The weather has been unfortunate. High winds of about 50 to 60 kilometers an hour pushed the fires into different areas and reignited places already deemed safe. This unpredictable behavior has obliged rescuers to return to areas previously secured and has hindered the work of the firefighters.
Many emergency workers have been injured fighting the fire. Firefighters, foresters and ordinary people have received medical help because of being trapped in difficult situations. Fortunately, no injuries have been severe according to the officials and the work of rescuers was not interrupted.
The fires in Ayvalik are only part of a much bigger problem. Since the middle of the week, several hundred wildfire outbreaks have been reported by the authorities across Turkey. The majority of fires have been extinguished, but several large outbreaks are still burning fiercely due to new weather patterns and rugged terrain.
One of the main areas of concern is the town of Fethiye, a very popular resort in southwestern Turkey. Unfavorable winds in that area have rekindled some fires in the vicinity of the town, which reminds all of us about how quickly situations can change once we believe fires are contained. So being alert is as important for the people there as having firefighters working in the area.
Authorities have called upon the people residing in southern and western Turkey to bear in mind the fire danger for the rest of the summer. Alerts have been sent to the areas considered vulnerable to fires and people are advised to refrain from activities that could possibly cause fires. Authorities have also banned access to some forested areas since the start of the tourist season.
At the beginning of the year, the winter rains and snowfalls had reduced the potential for the wildfire season after having faced drought conditions. However, the constant rise in temperatures and dry summer weather has once again given rise to the convenient circumstances for the fires to develop quickly in the woods and grasslands.
Scientists have sounded the alarm about the increasing duration of fire periods in the world. The study groups that analyze the climate trends maintain that the rise in global temperatures affected by the phenomena like El Niño can lead to the greater number and more severe fire incidents in many countries. The causes of each specific fire are different; however, the changes in climate facilitate the dealing with the crisis situations even more complicated.
As of now, Turkey is focused on saving lives, extinguishing the remaining fires, and preventing new fires. The actions carried out by the firefighters currently hired show that the most popular tourist destinations in the world are also those which are most endangered by the wildfires prevalence.
