Wildfire in Turkey’s northwest injures dozens, halts maritime traffic
Dozens of people have been injured and more than 80 livestock have perished as more than a thousand residents flee the wildfire engulfing the country’s northwest.
ANKARA — Dozens of people have been injured and over a thousand have fled their homes as a wildfire rages for a second day in Turkey’s northwestern province of Canakkale. The death toll among livestock continues to rise.
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Wednesday that 95 people were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation, but none of the injured was in serious condition.
The number of evacuees reached 1,251 from nine villages on Wednesday, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced, as emergency teams scrambled to get the fires under control. Nearly 4,000 acres have been affected by the blazes, which are being pushed by winds of nearly 45 miles per hour.
Local authorities warned residents living in other nearby areas to stay vigilant, saying strong winds in the area could lead the wildfire to spread.
