Wildfires engulf Türkiye's fourth-largest city as thousands flee flames amid record heat
Illustrative photo: (facebook.com/MNS.GOV.UA)
Wildfires that have been burning across Türkiye since late June have now reached the outskirts of Bursa. Authorities evacuated more than 1,700 people as the advancing flames threatened their safety, the Associated Press informs.
Wildfires that have engulfed Türkiye for several weeks reached the outskirts of the country's fourth-largest city, Bursa, on Sunday.
Besides Türkiye, Greece, Bulgaria, and Montenegro are also battling large-scale wildfires. The situation is worsening due to extremely high temperatures, dry weather, and strong winds.
Intense wildfires, fueled by extreme heat, have broken out across Turkey. In Antalya Province, flames have spread to residential areas in Bursa, forcing the evacuation of thousands. Rapidly spreading fires, driven by strong winds, have also struck Karabük, Uşak, and… pic.twitter.com/5XSL9I297W
— NewsEra (@NewsEra_) July 27, 2025
On Friday, authorities declared the western provinces of Izmir and Bilecik disaster zones. According to local officials, 1,765 people were evacuated from villages in the northeastern part of the region.
Currently, over 1,900 firefighters are fighting the flames. The highway connecting Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed due to forest fires along the route.
Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey said the fire has affected 3,000 hectares of land. Opposition Member of Parliament Orhan Saribal described the situation as an "apocalypse."
Minister of Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli warned that gusts of wind could reactivate fires that have not been fully extinguished.
Rescuers have also evacuated thousands of animals, including livestock and pets, left in the fire-affected areas. Local media showed firefighters helping injured wild animals caught in the disaster zone.
Turkiye is burning.
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Over 1,000 wildfires have scorched ~80,000 hectares.
•13 dead, 50,000+ evacuated.
•Major fires in İzmir, Bilecik, Antalya, Eskişehir, Bursa.
•Heatwaves, strong winds fueling disaster.#TurkeyWildfires
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