Turkey and Cyprus Battle Raging Wildfires Amid Blazing Heatwave

Turkey and Cyprus are struggling to contain dozens of raging wildfires amid a blazing heatwave, with the fires destroying homes, businesses, and other infrastructure.

The wildfires have been going on for over a month now, burning various areas across Turkey, but conditions have worsened within the last few days. The Turkish government announced yesterday that the western provinces of Izmir and Bilecik will be designated disaster zones due to the high level of damage that has been done, allowing additional support to be sent to the two regions.

Meanwhile, further down the coast, new wildfires have popped up near the popular resort town of Antalya, and they are getting closer and closer to engulfing the city's famed resorts. Antalya consistently ranks as one of the most-visited cities in the world, reaching as high as fourth on the list in 2023, only behind Istanbul, London, and Dubai; a year where the city saw a staggering 16.5 million tourists. Many of the fires began in populated areas, leading to widespread evacuations, but nobody was killed in the tourism hub.

In total, 13 people have died in the blazes, 311 homes have been destroyed or damaged over the past month, and over 25,000 firefighters and other volunteers are battling the flames. They have also deployed 27 planes, 105 helicopters, and 6,000 vehicles to assist with the efforts, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Further south, a massive wildfire is also raging through southern Cyprus, leading to hundreds of additional evacuations. At least two people were killed after their car caught fire, over 10 others were injured, and around 39 square miles have already been burned due to the blaze. Farms, vineyards, homes, and businesses have all been destroyed, and the heat refuses to let up.

Also, to the north, Albania has also struggled with multiple wildfires, taking place in massive forests that contain huge amounts of fuel for the fires. Over 1,000 people have been deployed to handle the flames over there, but the weather conditions are not helping.

The fires come as a searing heatwave scorches the region, with temperatures well past 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Temperatures in Antalya soared to a record-breaking 115 °F (46 °C) this month, with the heat continuing for weeks. In the western Turkish province of Izmir, temperatures have hovered around 105 °F (41 °C), along with the nearby region of Bilecik. Temperatures in Cyprus also hit 111 °F (44 °C), and the weather in Albania has been no better, with temperatures today still scorching the country at 106 °F (41 °C).

On top of the blazing temperatures, strong winds have helped the wildfires spread across miles in just a matter of days, and dry conditions have not helped firefighters either-- Cyprus' largest reservoir, the Kouris Reservoir, reached as low as 15.5% capacity on Wednesday, displaying the severity of the drought impacting the southern Mediterranean.

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