Wildfires in Turkey: 11 dead, 78 injured as heat soars to 50 degrees Celsius

ANKARA — At least 11 people have died and dozens more have been injured in wildfires that swept through Turkey’s southeast on Friday. 

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that the wildfires have claimed 11 lives and left 78 people injured, with five individuals in critical condition. 

The blazes overnight, fueled by soaring temperatures and strong winds, have wreaked havoc on several neighborhoods in the outskirts of the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakir and Mardin. 

Videos circulating on social media show the blazes engulfing vast areas, with flames lighting up the night sky.

Diyarbakır’ın Çınar ile Mardin’in Mazıdağı ilçeleri arasındaki bölgede dün gece meydana gelen yangın felaketinde hayatını kaybeden 5 vatandaşımıza Yüce Allah’tan rahmet, yaralı vatandaşlarımıza acil şifa dilerim.

Yangından etkilenen tüm vatandaşlarımıza geçmiş olsun. pic.twitter.com/QVW37bNQWX

— Metin Ergun (@MetinErgun48) June 21, 2024

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said later Friday that the wildfires have been brought under control, adding that cooling efforts were ongoing. 

According to local media reports, hundreds of cattle and sheep also perished in the blaze. 

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fires. Local news outlets reported that the wildfires were ignited by stubble burning, a common agricultural practice in Turkey. 

Turkey has been grappling with wildfires across the country since last week due to hot temperatures soaring up to 10 C (50 F) above the seasonal average. Temperatures reached as high as 50 C (120 F) in the country’s coastal areas.

More than 55 wildfires have erupted across the country since Saturday, according to the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.