Next Two Days Crucial for Extinguishing Wildfires in Southern Turkey, Foreign Minister Says
14:23 GMT 03.08.2021 (Updated: 14:46 GMT 03.08.2021)
© AP Photo / Emre TazegulA woman uses a fire extinguisher to save a burning tree in Cokertme village, near Bodrum, Mugla, Turkey, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021.
© AP Photo / Emre Tazegul
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The next two days are crucial for extinguishing wildfires across southern Turkey, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.
"We are facing an ecological disaster like we have never seen before. Everyone is working, I hope that the fires can be dealt with. Today and tomorrow are crucial days in this sense," Cavusoglu told reporters, according to a broadcast on his Twitter page.
Turkey’s top diplomat added that helicopters and aircraft from Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Iran, Croatia, Spain and Qatar are actively used in the response to wildfires.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took to Twitter to thank all countries that have been assisting Turkey in containing the wildfires.
"On behalf of my people, I would like to thank all the friendly countries and organisations that have sent their support, wishes and condolences in our fight against forest fires, expressed their readiness to help and sent help. I hope that we will cope with this difficult process as soon as possible."
Orman yangınlarıyla mücadelemizde desteğini, geçmiş olsun dileklerini, taziyelerini ileten, yardıma hazır olduklarını bildiren, yardım gönderen tüm dost ülke ve organizasyonlara milletim adına teşekkür ediyorum.
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) August 3, 2021
İnşallah bu zorlu süreci en kısa sürede atlatacağız. 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/gMd14v8Ryr
Turkey has been facing the worst forest fires in the past decades. Wildfires started last week and since then has affected at least 35 Turkish provinces, mainly on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts. According to the country's emergency officials, some 95,000 hectares have burned so far this year.