Turkey wildfires threaten fourth-largest city, forcing 1,700 evacuations

Wildfires that have harassed Turkey for weeks are now threatening the country’s fourth-largest city on Sunday, forcing 1,700 evacuations and leaving another firefighter dead.

Fires surround the city of Bursa in Turkey’s northwest, with the government saying it has evacuated 1,765 people and deployed roughly 1,900 firefighters to combat the blaze. The conflagration has so far scorched over 7,000 acres and claimed the life of at least one firefighter, who had a heart attack on the scene.

Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said fire crews across the country confronted 84 separate blazes Saturday. The country’s northwest was under the greatest threat, including Karabuk, where wildfires have burned since Tuesday, he said.

The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 122.9 degrees Fahrenheit in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. 

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Fourteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir in western Turkey.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Saturday that prosecutors had investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, and that legal action had been taken against 97 suspects.

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The blazes have threatened to cross borders into Turkey’s neighboring countries of Greece and Bulgaria.

Bulgaria’s National Fire Service chief Alexander Djartov said they have enlisted the help of European Union partners to combat the fires. He said aircraft were expected from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Hungary and Sweden later Sunday.

Turkey says it has used the military to reinforce beleaguered firefighters in many areas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.