Country breaks temperature record as wildfires continue
ISTANBUL
As extreme temperatures continue to spiral globally, heatwaves and wildfires have wreaked havoc throughout several parts of Türkiye, especially in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir, where mercury has shot up to a whopping 49.5 degrees, breaking the country's all-time heat record, the environment minister has informed.
According to the ministry’s data, the previous temperature record was measured in the Cizre district of the eastern province of Şırnak at 49.1 degrees Celsius on July 20, 2021.
“In this sense, in order to combat climate change, I invite everyone to be sensitive in line with our ‘Zero Emission and Green Development’ targets set for the year of 2053 by our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Mehmet Özhaseki said on a statement he posted on his social media account, urging the public to be more sensitive about the rapidly changing climate.
The ministry has warned the public to stay indoors as much as possible amid the blasting heatwaves fueled by the El Nino weather phenomenon, especially during the hottest hours of the day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., while heatwaves keep sparking widespread wildfires across the nation's forested areas.
In the last two days, five different forest fires were reported in Bolu, Bingöl, Denizli, Antalya and Eskişehir provinces.
Two helicopters, one plane, 10 land vehicles, 10 water tankers, five first response vehicles, two dozers, six service vehicles, four gendarmerie personnel, 110 firefighting personnel and 20 citizens were assigned to extinguish the fire that broke out in Bolu’s Göynük district, which was determined to have started due to a malfunction in the power lines passing through the forest.
There was no loss of life during the fire, Bolu Governor Erkan Kılıç announced.
Another forest fire broke out for an unknown reason in the Acıpayam district of Denizli. The fire was brought under control in a short period of three hours as a result of intensive interventions, preventing a greater danger.
Approximately 20 hectares of land were reduced to ashes in the fire, and cooling works are expected to last for two days.
An investigation into the fire has also been initiated.
The efforts to extinguish the fires in Antalya’s Akseki district, Eskişehir’s Alpu district and Bingöl’s Genç district continue.
Fire brigade teams are currently intervening in the forest fires both from the air and on the ground.
