Wildfires have erupted across multiple countries in the Mediterranean region, including Turkey, Greece, and Albania, as firefighters battle to contain the blazes intensified by scorching heat and strong winds.
In Turkey, fires raged for a sixth consecutive day in the Black Sea province of Karabük, around 200 kilometres north of Ankara. Dense smoke filled the mountainous terrain, and more than a dozen villages were evacuated as flames devoured large areas of forest. The Turkish government has reported dozens of wildfires in recent weeks due to soaring summer temperatures.
Tragedy struck in the northwestern province of Bursa, where three firefighters died after their vehicle overturned while responding to fires in the region. The Forestry Ministry confirmed the fatalities as crews simultaneously fought two separate blazes in the area. Elsewhere in the country, more than 3,600 people were evacuated from vulnerable settlements in the southern provinces of Mersin and Antalya. Last week, ten firefighters were killed tackling a major fire in the central Eskisehir province.
In neighbouring Greece, at least 44 wildfires have broken out in the past 24 hours, according to the fire brigade. On the island of Kythera, a blaze that began over the weekend was reignited by strong winds. Near Athens, a fire at the base of Mount Hymettus threatened a university campus and nearby residential areas, but firefighters managed to bring it under control.
Albania is also grappling with wildfires near the coastal resort city of Saranda on the Ionian Sea. Over 900 firefighters, supported by military personnel, were deployed to contain the flames as they approached popular tourist areas. Thirteen individuals have been arrested over the past three days for suspected arson, according to police reports.
Further north, Bulgaria has been battling a massive blaze near its border with Turkey. Firefighting aircraft, supported by neighbouring European nations, have been deployed to the region. Local media report that roughly 16,000 acres of land have been burned, and two individuals have been detained in connection with the fire’s origin.
Across the region, the fires have injured at least five people in Greece and prompted widespread evacuations. However, in Serbia, a bout of rain has brought much-needed relief, allowing emergency services to bring more than 100 fires under control.
As the Mediterranean endures its third heatwave of the summer, authorities warn that the risk of wildfires remains high, exacerbated by climate change and increasingly extreme weather patterns.
