Over 50,000 evacuated due to wildfires In Turkiye

ISTANBUL, June 30 (KUNA) -- Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Monday that more than 50,000 people were evacuated to safe zones due to wildfires in Izmir, Balikesir, and Hatay.
In a post on social media platform X, Yerlikaya stated that "over 50,000 people from 41 towns have been temporarily evacuated to safe areas due to wildfires fueled by strong winds in the three provinces." Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli said firefighters in Turkiye are battling wildfires in Izmir for the second day, driven by strong winds.
He added that the fires in the Koyucak and Doganbey areas reignited overnight as wind speeds reached between 40 and 50 kilometers per hour, prompting the evacuation of four villages and two neighborhoods.
He noted that helicopters, firefighting aircraft, vehicles, and over 1,000 firefighters are working to contain the flames.
Separately, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced the arrest of 17 suspects as part of ongoing legal investigations into the wildfires that have erupted in multiple regions over the past two days. (end) ta.ahm