• Evacuation ordered in Turkish resort cities of Bodrum and Marmaris.
• The wildfires burn very close to houses and hotels.
• Turkish Navy are taking part in fighting the wildfires.

Turkey wildfires hit the resort towns of Marmaris and Bodrum. Local authorities ordered evacuation of tourists and local residents.

Because of the powerful fires, people were first evacuated in Marmaris. The forest burns very close to houses and hotels. Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli said that five helicopters, one plane and 30 fire engines are fighting disastrous fires in the area. The newest fire has flared up in resort town of Bodrum. People are being evacuated. Units of the Turkish Navy are involved in desperate attempts to sustain the fires.

Current wildfires, the strongest ones in recent years, began due to the heat wave in the region. To date, three people have died in the disaster and 183 have suffered from smoke. Earlier, Turkish Tourism Minister Mahmet Nuri Ersoy said that fires were retreating from hotels and houses. The minister said: “Since the intervention was carried out on time and with the use of a large amount of equipment, the spread of fire towards the coast was prevented. Later, roads to tourist areas were closed.”