Turkey battles six wildfires in Muğla, Isparta

Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli said that forest fires continue to burn in six areas across two provinces. A total of 217 out of 223 blazes have been brought under control since the wildfires began on July 28, T24 reported on Saturday.

In a press statement, Pakdemirli, announced that the fires are continuing in the Köyceğiz, Kavaklıdere, Milas, Yatağan, Çine districts of Muğla province and the Sütçüler district of Isparta province.

Pakdemirli reiterated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statement that nobody but qualified firefighters should be allowed to participate in the firefighting effort.

"It is correct that those who are not charged with dealing with the fires are not allowed to take part in firefighting. Handling forest fires is a technical issue," he said.

Pakdemirli stressed that politics has no place in the firefighting efforts.

"If you are going to do politics, look for another field," he said. "If you are going to do politics, you should produce projects."

"We are responding to the wildfires with 16 aircraft, nine drones, 57 helicopters, drone helicopters, 850 water tankers, 150 earthmovers, and 5,250 forestry staff members,' he added. "We fought 21 fires in Antalya.

We had tanker planes, drones, 19 helicopters, nearly 300 water trucks, 1,172 workers to put out the blazes."

The number of forest fires decreased from 12 on Friday to six on Saturday.

At least eight people have died in the fires along Turkey's southern and western coasts.

Experts believe the fires were caused by the climate crisis, which saw record temperatures, severe drought, and accidents caused by local people.

A heatwave across southern Europe has led to wildfires across the Mediterranean, including in Italy and Greece.