Some 274 blazes contained, 1 ongoing in southwestern Turkey: Minister

ANKARA

As many as 274 forest fires in Turkey have been brought under control while one continues to burn in the Aegean province of Muğla, the country's agriculture and forestry minister said on Aug. 10. 

Speaking at a news conference prior to a firefighting coordination meeting in the town of Marmaris, Bekir Pakdemirli said Turkey has been combatting massive blazes for 14 days.

Pakdemirli said a total of 275 fires erupted in 53 provinces across the country due to hot, windy and dry weather conditions.

He said in two separate Twitter posts late Tuesday that blazes in Milas and Bodrum districts of Mugla province had been contained and cooling efforts were underway.

He noted that efforts to extinguish another fire in Muğla were continuing on land along with aerial operations.

Fires in Greece

Noting previously announced plans to dispatch two planes to Greece upon its request for extra firefighting aircraft, Pakdemirli said: "When we have surplus capacity, we shouldn't avoid sending them to our neighbors."

"The forests are not only our own but belong to the entire world," he continued. "The flora and wildlife here belong to the whole world."

On the ongoing blazes in Greece, Pakdemirli said: "The size of the fires have reached very critical dimensions, considering the size of the country and its forestlands."

He added that the flames pose a "serious" threat to residential areas.

Greece has been fighting wildfires for eight days, with thousands of people evacuated so far.