A second person has died in a wildfire in Türkiye as the country battles a seventh day of blazes across several regions. The latest death is a firefighter who was tackling the flames in western İzmir province on Tuesday.
Earlier an 81 year old bedridden man died in his home in the same area when the inferno reached his house.
Helicopters and planes have been dropping water over mountainous areas while some roads that have been closed according to authorities particularly to the Aegean resort town of Cesme. Broadcasters showed footage of flames lining the main highway as water tankers arrived.
What happened
What began as a battle against nature has turned into a heartbreaking tragedy where two lives have now been lost to the flames.
On Tuesday, Ibrahim Demir, a backhoe operator working alongside firefighting teams in the Ödemiş district, died while trying to help contain the spreading wildfire. His death came as a painful blow to a community already reeling.
Just days earlier, an 81-year-old bedridden man, alone in his home in the same area, became the first victim. The fire reached his house before help could arrive.
Both men, one trying to fight the fire, the other unable to flee, are now part of a growing tragedy that has engulfed lives and landscapes across the region.
İzmir’s mayor, Cemil Tugay, said he was on the ground late Thursday, standing with crews as they fought to control the blaze. Officials said his presence underscored the seriousness of a crisis that has already burned too much, and taken too many.
Wildfire hotspot
Türkiye is part of the eastern Mediterranean region, which climate scientists describe as a “wildfire hotspot”, where rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and dry winds create the perfect storm for fire outbreaks.
Experts say wildfires in the region have become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more destructive in recent years, with climate change acting as an accelerating force.
The ongoing crisis serves as yet another warning that summer heatwaves are intensifying across southern Europe and Türkiye, demanding more strict reduction and response strategies.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that around 200 homes have been damaged or destroyed by the fires in Türkiye’s western regions. Authorities have relocated affected residents to temporary shelters, and humanitarian efforts are underway.
Earlier in the week, up to 50,000 people were evacuated from high-risk zones as temperatures surpassed 40°C (104°F), humidity levels dropped, and strong winds worsened the fire spread.
Residents in affected provinces have left behind homes, farms, and businesses as they await updates on the fire’s containment.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying ...
A drone hit a petrol station in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv early on Tuesday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the...
Hundreds of thousands of deep-diving turtles, known as olive ridley sea turtles, have arrived on Mexico’s southern coast for one of nature&rs...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
Hundreds of thousands of deep-diving turtles, known as olive ridley sea turtles, have arrived on Mexico’s southern coast for one of nature’s most striking nesting events. But conservation officials warn that climate change is making it increasingly difficult for their eggs to hatch.
August 2026 tied as the hottest month ever recorded globally, pushing average temperatures above the critical 1.5°C threshold as extreme weather swept across several regions, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
Increasingly intense wildfires and heat waves are threatening global efforts to improve air quality and protect public health, the United Nations’ weather agency has warned.
Vast flocks of storks passed through Türkiye and the Bosporus this week as part of their annual autumn migration from European breeding grounds toward Africa and the Middle East.
China's coastal areas and southern regions are preparing for days of intense precipitation, with tens of thousands of people evacuated as Typhoon Narra tracks inland and another storm churns toward the country's eastern seaboard.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment