The European Union has sent three water bomber planes to help Turkey in its fight against the fires which have ravaged the south of the country for six days, killing eight and increasing pressure on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized for his management of the crisis.
Read also: Turkey: fourth day in the fight against forest fires
Mobilized within the framework of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, two Canadair from Spain and one from Croatia were sent to help Turkey fight the fire.
“
The EU is in full solidarity with Turkey at this very difficult time.
(...) Our hearts go out to the Turkish people who have lost loved ones and to the courageous first responders who are doing their best to fight the deadly fires
, ”EU Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said on Sunday evening. , in a press release.
The worst fires of the decade
Of the 130 fires that broke out in six days across the country, seven are still active, the Directorate of Forests, a Turkish public body, assured Monday, August 2.
Faced with the progression of the fire which threatens the cities of Antalya, Bodrum and Marmaris (south), hundreds of tourists and residents were evacuated from their hotels and homes on Sunday.
More than 1,100 people were evacuated by boat, Bodrum Mayor Ahmet Aras said on Sunday, as the roads were not passable.
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In several towns ravaged by the fires, volunteers have organized themselves to help the more than 4,000 firefighters fighting on the ground. In Marmaris, volunteers took charge of collecting and distributing food and water, as well as materials such as burn creams or fire-resistant clothing. “
While there are these fires, many people in Marmaris, like me, cannot fall asleep peacefully. We must prevent our future from burning,
”Evran Ozkan, a Marmaris volunteer, told an AFP journalist there. Other volunteers are directly involved in the efforts to control the fire. "
We're trying to clear the land under fire.
We cut the grass, we clean.
We also help firefighters to move around the forest with their hoses,
”said Tevfik Kahraman, another volunteer in Marmaris.
Turkey is currently experiencing the worst fires in at least a decade, according to official data, with nearly 95,000 hectares burned so far in 2021, compared to an average of 13,516 at this point in the year between 2008 and 2020. The President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the target of criticism when it turned out that Turkey did not have water bombers as the fire problem worsened in the country where a third of the territory is forested.
