Over 50,000 evacuated as wildfires devastate Turkey’s Izmir

(AFP): Rescuers in Turkey have evacuated more than 50,000 people, mostly from the western province of Izmir, as firefighters battle a string of wildfires, the AFAD disaster agency said Monday.

The worst blaze began Sunday in Seferihisar, a forested area 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of the resort city of Izmir, spreading rapidly with winds reaching up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour, officials said.

"A total of over 50,000 citizens from 41 settlements have been temporarily relocated to safe areas," AFAD wrote on X, adding that 79 people had been affected by smoke and other fire-related issues—none seriously.

Of those evacuated, 42,300 were from Seferihisar, where TV footage showed flames raging through forested areas, sending vast clouds of black smoke into the sky. Overnight, around 20 evacuated homes were gutted by the blaze, with only the walls left standing, according to footage aired on private TV network NTV.

Residents in the seaside village of Urkmez had on Sunday felled trees to create firebreaks and protect their homes as the flames advanced, a witness told AFP.

"Unfortunately, the wind is continuing to blow very strongly," Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters Monday afternoon. The Turkish State Meteorological Service had warned of strong winds over the weekend.

Yumakli said more than 1,000 people had been deployed to tackle the blaze, supported by four planes, 14 helicopters, and 106 fire trucks.

AFAD also reported that another 3,000 residents were evacuated from Manisa, 40 kilometres north of Izmir. Additionally, 1,500 people were forced to flee their homes in the southern Hatay region, where four helicopters, 211 fire engines, and 540 firefighters were battling a blaze about 10 kilometres north of the city of Antakya, the governor said.

Around 850 more people were evacuated from two other wildfires in northwestern Turkey, AFAD said.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced on X that one person had been arrested for allegedly starting one of the wildfires in the Izmir area using gasoline. "The suspect is alleged to have set fire to their own residence, which subsequently caused a forest fire," he wrote, without providing further details.

Since Friday, 263 fires have broken out across Turkey. Of those, 259 have been brought under control, while efforts continue to extinguish the remaining four, according to the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.

Izmir airport, which had temporarily suspended flights on Sunday, has since resumed operations, Turkish media reported.

Wildfires have scorched nearly 19,000 hectares of land across Turkey so far this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

Experts warn that human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and intense wildfires and other natural disasters, urging Turkey to take stronger measures to address the growing threat.