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Wildfires are fought by firefighters in the heat-stricken Turkey and Cyprus

Firefighters fought multiple wildfires in Turkey and Cyprus Thursday, which scorched large areas of land and forced the evacuations of villages and towns. Ten firefighters were killed by a heatwave that swept across the Mediterranean.

Six separate wildfires are burning in Turkey. Turkish Agriculture and Forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli has warned of the dangers of strong winds and scorching heat.

Yumakli reported late on Wednesday that 10 firefighters died while fighting a fire in central Eskisehir Province. Yumakli also said 14 other firefighters were injured. The fire was fanned by strong wind and spread to Afyonkarahisar, another province in the central region.

Fires in the province of Bilecik in northwestern Turkey raged for four days straight, and firefighters were unable to control them.

Some residents in Bilecik were allowed to return after the evacuation of areas that were declared safe.

"They couldn't intervene. The road is rocky, there are dense forests and no decent roads. "Helicopters do not work at night and, because they aren't working, they could not intervene," Cemil Karadag said, a Bilecik resident from the village of Selcik.

It engulfed the village from all sides. The wind caused it to spread quickly, but thankfully, the centre of our village was not damaged.

A wildfire broke out in the Black Sea Province of Sakarya as firefighters were battling another fire nearby. The fire forced the closure of a major highway, and some areas were evacuated.

A second fire, in the province of Karabuk where the UNESCO World Heritage City Safranbolu lies, grew quickly and forced the evacuation of 10 villages. Sixth, a fire raged across the province of Manisa in western Iraq.

'SHEER HELL'

Firefighters on the eastern Mediterranean island Cyprus fought for the second day to contain a massive wildfire that engulfed the mountain villages north-east of Limassol.

The fire that started Wednesday trapped two people in their vehicle. As people fled the towering wall, scores of homes were destroyed.

Authorities said that they will investigate the possibility of arson, even though the cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

Father Michalis is a Greek Orthodox Priest who was forced out of the village Lofou.

Strong winds stoked flare-ups that erupted around midday, after they had subsided in the morning.

Kostas Hatzikonstantinou struggled to keep his composure while standing outside his home. The fire that ravaged his community Thursday had left it hollowed out.

"It is an unspeakable tragedy to everyone." He said, "Unfortunately, this paradise we enjoyed for many years will no longer be ours."

The Cypriot Government spokesperson Konstantinos Leymbiotis stated that the authorities are focusing on using "all the ground and air force" to contain the fire.

He said, "We face an unprecedented situation."

He added that Israel would also send help, in addition to the air assets of Spain, Egypt, and Jordan. He added that aircraft from British military bases in Cyprus also assisted the efforts, and the EU had deployed two aircraft.

Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (a breakaway Turkish Republic) which is only recognised by Turkey, and which has split off from the south of the island, said that his government would also be willing to help.

Heatwaves and fires are not uncommon in the region. However, the impact of these events on the human population as well as the extent of the destruction has increased in recent years because weather patterns have changed.

(source: Reuters)