Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from Türkiye’s northwestern Canakkale province as firefighters battle wildfires driven by strong winds, authorities said on Monday.

Firefighting teams in Canakkale are working to contain blazes in the centre of the province, with efforts involving airplanes, helicopters, vehicles and around 700 personnel, city Governor Omer Toraman announced on X.

Authorities ordered precautionary evacuations from several locations, including a university campus, military zones and residential neighbourhoods, while urging the public to avoid unnecessary travel to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.

Operations were further complicated as the city’s airport, the Dardanelles Strait and parts of the main highway were closed for several hours before reopening after sunset. Reuters images showed flames sweeping through forested areas, producing thick plumes of smoke visible from afar.

Helicopters were seen scooping water from the Dardanelles Strait to tackle the flames, while police water cannon vehicles were deployed to extinguish fires that had reached some residential buildings.

According to Türkiye’s meteorological service, temperatures in the area climbed to 33 degrees Celsius, with wind speeds reaching up to 66 kilometres per hour. Governor Toraman said around 50 people were treated for smoke inhalation at nearby medical facilities, but none were in life-threatening condition.

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