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A wildfire killed at least 10 forest workers and rescuers on Wednesday who were battling to douse the flames near Eskişehir in western Turkey, authorities said.
The agriculture minister, İbrahim Yumakli, said the fire killed five forest workers and five rescuers. Local lawmaker Nebi Hatipoğlu and news website BirGün had earlier said 11 had died.
High temperatures and strong winds have fanned the wildfire between Istanbul and the capital Ankara since Tuesday morning, with the spread threatening homes and forcing the evacuation of several villages.
The victims were wrongfooted when the flames suddenly changed direction, causing them to be “burned alive”, according to BirGün.
Twenty-four workers were caught in the “brusque evolution of the flames” of whom 14 were being treated in hospital, Yumakli told broadcasters on Wednesday evening.
“Unfortunately, we have lost five forest workers and five (rescuers),” he added.
Hatipoğlu, a deputy from the ruling AKP party, wrote on X there were “no words to describe our grief”.
Turkey has been sweltering since Sunday under temperatures between 6C and 12C above the seasonal norms and several fires have been declared.
Scientists have long warned that burning fossil fuels is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves more likely and more intense.
Meanwhile firefighters in Cyprus were battling on Wednesday to contain a huge wildfire forcing the evacuation of at least four villages on the first day of a heatwave that sent temperatures soaring.
Authorities said the fire was raging in terrain north of the southern city of Limassol, stoked by strong winds and high temperatures. A fire brigade spokesperson said there had been “considerable damage” to homes in the region, known for its vineyards.
The president of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides said he had requested assistance to contain the fire under an EU assistance scheme, while neighbouring Jordan would be sending help.
“The situation is very difficult and the fire front is huge. All forces have been mobilised,” he told reporters at the scene.
Authorities said 14 aircraft and workers on the ground were trying to extinguish the blaze, which broke out around midday on Wednesday. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
Temperatures on the east Mediterranean island hit 43C (109.4F) inland on Wednesday, forcing authorities to issue an amber weather warning. It was expected to climb further to 44C on Thursday, making it the hottest day of the year.
Although heatwaves and forest fires are common, the impact on human life and the damage have become more pronounced in recent years.
