Scorching heat and wind fuel Turkey's wildfires

(2 Aug 2021) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4337845 Homes were destroyed and people were forced to evacuate as blazes tore through forests near Turkey's beach destinations. Firefighters battled the flames for the sixth day running on Monday, as water-carrying planes from the European Union prepared to join the containment efforts.   The fires burning in parched conditions and strong winds since Wednesday have left eight people dead and forced residents and tourists to flee vacation resorts in boats. Many villagers lost homes and farm animals while a thick yellow haze hung in the air in the affected regions. On Sunday, residents were forced to evacuate Cokertme village as flames neared. Some got on boats and others left by car as the fire got closer - scenes which Ahmet Aras, the mayor of the nearby resort of Bodrum, described as "hell." Precautions were taken to protect two nearby thermic power plants in the vicinity, though they were not in immediate danger. Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said late Sunday that 119 fires that broke out in 32 provinces since Wednesday have been extinguished. Crews were still tacking seven fires in the coastal provinces of Antalya and Mugla that are popular tourist areas, and in Tunceli, southeast Turkey. The EU announced Sunday it had helped mobilize one firefighting Canadair plane from Croatia and two from Spain to help Turkey. Planes sent from Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran have also been fighting the blazes. While Turkish authorities were investigating whether the fires may have have been the result of arson by outlawed Kurdish militants, experts mostly point to climate change along with accidents caused by people. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said one of the fires was started by children. A heat wave across southern Europe, fed by hot air from North Africa, has led to wildfires across the Mediterranean, including on the Italian island of Sicily and in western Greece, where some residents had to be evacuated by boat to escape the flames. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...