Authorities are investigating claims of sabotage after at least four people were killed and scores of others were injured in the country’s coastal touristic southern provinces. Since Wednesday, over 70 wildfires have been reported across the country. The fires were fanned by scorching heat and strong winds as 4,000 firefighters battled the blazes with the help of helicopters and planes, according to local media. Around 100 firefighters and over 80 civilians were injured, mostly from smoke inhalation, emergency authorities have announced.
The fires forced the evacuation of many residential areas, villages, and tourism facilities, as well as the death of many farm and wild animals.
The majority of the fires have been put out, but several were still burning on Saturday in the southwest and south of the country for the fourth day in a row. Officials launched an investigation into suspicions that the fires that broke out Wednesday in four locations in Manavgat, a Mediterranean tourist hotspot in Antalya province, were the result of arson.
Forest fires are common in Turkey during the summer. However, eyewitnesses have reported wildfires erupting in multiple locations at the same time, raising suspicion.
Kurdish rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party have been blamed by the media and commentators. On social media, sympathisers of the group, which Turkey has labelled a terrorist organisation, praised the fires.
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