Istanbul, 3 July 2025 (dpa/MIA) — At least one person has died in ongoing wildfires sweeping through the western Turkish province of İzmir, as strong winds and extreme heat continue to fuel the flames, state media reported on Thursday.

An 81-year-old bedridden man, identified as İbrahim Erkan, died when the fire reached his home in the village of Suçıktı near Ödemiş district, local officials said.

Emergency crews battled the blaze through the night, with firefighting aircraft joining efforts at first light on Thursday.

The fire, reportedly sparked by a faulty power line in the coastal town of Ildır on Wednesday, spread rapidly due to high winds and dry conditions. Flames threatened the popular Aegean holiday resorts of Çeşme and Alaçatı, prompting authorities to evacuate three villages.

According to İzmir Governor Süleyman Elban, several homes were damaged, while a section of the highway leading south had to be closed temporarily as flames approached from both sides.

The General Directorate of Forestry said six planes, 16 helicopters and dozens of vehicles and bulldozers were fighting the fires in Çeşme and Ödemiş.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X that recent wildfires have heavily damaged more than 200 homes and buildings in the Aegean provinces of İzmir and Manisa, and the western province of Bilecik.

Turkey faces a particularly acute fire season this year, forestry officials warned, citing extreme temperatures, low humidity and high winds. Around 64% of the country’s forests are located in areas highly prone to wildfires, and climate change has doubled the average burnt area globally over the past decade, said the authorities.

In recent days, hundreds of fires have broken out nationwide, most of which have now been brought under control, according to officials.

Animal protection groups, including Haytap, have also been working on the ground to rescue and treat injured animals.

Photo: epa