Wildfires Ravage Turkiye's Fourth-Largest City, Forcing Mass Evacuations

Turkiye faces severe wildfires engulfing Bursa, causing evacuations and the death of a firefighter. Unprecedented temperatures fuel the blazes, prompting a national crisis as multiple provinces are declared disaster zones. Authorities have taken legal action, and international assistance is requested to combat the ongoing threat.

Wildfires, having engulfed Turkiye for weeks, threatened the country's fourth-largest city, Bursa, early Sunday. Over 1,700 residents were forced to evacuate as more than 1,900 firefighters battled the flames. Tragically, a firefighter died from a heart attack during his efforts to combat the blaze.

The situation is dire, with unprecedented high temperatures and strong winds contributing to the disaster. The fires have already scorched 3,000 hectares around the city. In response, authorities declared two western provinces as disaster areas, and traffic was disrupted with the closure of the highway linking Bursa to Ankara.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc stated that investigations into the origin of the fires have been conducted in 33 provinces, resulting in legal actions against 97 suspects. Meanwhile, Bulgaria's National Fire Service requested assistance from EU partners as the crisis also affects neighboring regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)