Wildfires damage houses and businesses in west Turkey

A forest fire in Turkey's western coastal province of Izmir, fanned by strong winds, has left houses and businesses burned out and forced some people to be evacuated. Ambulances could be seen arriving at residential areas on Friday (August 16) as the fires rage on. Reuters was able to confirm the location of the videos from the structure and the colour of the buildings which matched file imagery of the apartment complex. The date was verified by the original file metadata. The fire in Izmir started late on Thursday (August 15) in the Karsiyaka district for unknown reasons, as firefighters already worked to contain three separate fires in northwestern Turkey. Firefighters also tried to contain other wildfires in the north. Izmir Governor, Suleyman Elban, said the fire in Karsiyaka continued in between four and five different areas despite efforts to contain it using planes, helicopters, and other vehicles, adding that a village had been evacuated. Turkey's coastal regions in particular have in recent years been ravaged by wildfires, as summers have become hotter and drier, which scientists relate to climate change.