Key Points
- Wildfires have erupted in at least five locations across Turkey’s Aegean coastal province of İzmir, killing two people and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands.
- More than 200 homes have been damaged in Turkey, with strong winds, soaring temperatures, and low humidity fueling the flames.
- Turkey’s Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumakli confirmed ongoing firefighting efforts, particularly near Odemis and Buca, with both air and ground support.
- A forestry worker and an 81-year-old resident died in Turkey as a result of the wildfires.
- In Greece, a major wildfire on Crete prompted the evacuation of over 5,000 people, mostly tourists and hotel workers, as flames threatened resorts and villages.
- The Greek fire service managed to bring the Crete blaze under control, but authorities remain on high alert due to strong winds and adverse weather.
- Greece’s meteorological agency issued heat warnings, with temperatures reaching up to 36°C (97°F), intensifying fire risks.
- Public anger is growing in Turkey over perceived government inaction and lack of media coverage, with residents using social media to voice frustration.
- Officials in both countries cite climate change and extreme weather as key factors making wildfires more frequent and severe.
- No fatalities have been reported in Greece, but several elderly individuals were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and property damage is significant.
- Authorities in Turkey attribute most fires to power line faults, while the Buca blaze was reportedly sparked by construction work.
- Evacuations in both countries have been large-scale, with temporary shelters set up for displaced residents and tourists.
Firefighters in Turkey and Greece are battling a series of devastating wildfires that have claimed lives, forced mass evacuations, and destroyed homes and businesses, as both countries face extreme summer heat and strong winds.
How Did the Wildfires Start and Spread in Turkey?
As reported by the Associated Press for ABC News, wildfires erupted in at least five locations across Turkey’s Aegean coastal province of İzmir, driven by soaring temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity. The most severe fires have been near the town of Odemis and the district of Buca, where flames have raged for several days. According to Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumakli, firefighters supported by water-dropping aircraft remain deployed on the ground, battling to contain the fires for a third day.
What Has Been the Human and Material Toll in Turkey?
The wildfires have killed two people: a forestry worker who died while attempting to contain the flames and an 81-year-old resident who succumbed to smoke inhalation, as confirmed by Turkish authorities and reported by ABC News. More than 200 homes have been damaged, and tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from threatened areas.
According to Turkish Minute, over 50,000 people have been evacuated from various neighborhoods in İzmir, Manisa, and Hatay provinces as a precaution. The fires have burned an estimated 133,500 hectares of land, with strong winds sometimes grounding firefighting aircraft and complicating efforts to bring the situation under control.
What Are the Causes of the Turkish Wildfires?
ABC News cites Turkish officials who attribute most fires in İzmir to faults on power lines, while Forestry Minister Yumakli blamed the Buca blaze on sparks from construction workers using a grinder to cut metal. No official estimate of the total land area consumed by the fires has been provided by Turkish authorities.
How Has the Turkish Public Reacted?
As reported by Turkish Minute, the wildfires have sparked public outrage, with many residents turning to social media to condemn what they describe as government inaction and a lack of media attention. Actor and former parliamentarian Barış Atay criticized the authorities for their ineffective response, while historian Sema Soykan lamented the country’s repeated unpreparedness for such disasters. Residents in Hatay, still recovering from the 2023 earthquakes, expressed despair at facing another catastrophe so soon.
What Prompted the Mass Evacuations on Crete?
As reported by Niki Kitsantonis of The New York Times, approximately 1,500 people—mostly tourists—were evacuated from hotels and homes on the Greek island of Crete on Thursday, as firefighters struggled to contain a wildfire under challenging conditions. The fire originated near villages close to Ierapetra, on the island’s southeastern coast, and quickly spread due to strong winds and high temperatures.
BBC News notes that the fire front expanded to at least 6 kilometers, with thick smoke impairing visibility and ash falling over a wide area. Authorities closed main roads, advised against non-essential travel, and placed all hospitals in Crete on high alert due to dangerous air quality and the risk of respiratory issues.
How Many People Were Evacuated and Where Did They Go?
According to KRWG, more than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers, and residents were evacuated from the Ierapetra area along Crete’s southern coast. Some evacuees were relocated to other hotels or spent the night in an indoor basketball stadium, while others were housed in a town sports facility. Local fishermen and divers assisted a small number of people who fled into the sea.
What Was the Scale of the Damage in Crete?
Local authorities estimate that the wildfire burned approximately 15 square kilometers (3,700 acres) of land. Several homes and businesses were damaged, and volunteers found dead farm animals, some burned alive while chained inside sheds. Four elderly individuals were hospitalized for respiratory issues caused by smoke inhalation, but no fatalities have been reported in Greece.
What Were the Conditions Facing Firefighters in Greece?
As reported by Reuters, more than 230 firefighters, assisted by aerial support, battled the flames in the Ierapetra municipality. Their efforts were hampered by gale-force winds and mountainous terrain, with wind gusts reaching up to 50 miles per hour creating new hotspots and complicating containment. Reinforcements arrived by boat and aircraft from Athens to assist local crews.
How Did Tourists and Locals Experience the Evacuation?
The New York Times quotes Ierapetra Mayor Manolis Frangoulis, who described the scene as “hell on earth,” with countless fire spots erupting and blazing pine cones carried by the wind. Kathy Kearns, a 68-year-old visitor from Agios Ioannis, said, “Living in California, I’m familiar with this situation. The wind can carry embers for miles”. Many tourists were transferred by bus to safer areas, with the glow of the wildfires visible in the background.
What Role Did Weather and Climate Change Play?
How Are Extreme Weather and Climate Change Influencing Wildfires?
Both Turkey and Greece are experiencing a severe heatwave, with temperatures in Crete forecast to reach up to 36°C (97°F), according to Greece’s meteorological agency. Authorities in both countries have cited climate change as a key factor intensifying the frequency and severity of wildfires, as summers become hotter and drier.
What Warnings and Alerts Were Issued?
The Greek civil protection authority declared an orange alert, indicating a “very high” fire risk in Athens, the southern Peloponnese, and various Aegean islands. Shortly after the alert, a blaze ignited in Rafina near Athens, disrupting ferry services and requiring further evacuations.
How Are Authorities Responding to the Crisis?
What Measures Have Been Taken in Turkey?
Turkish officials continue to deploy firefighters and water-dropping aircraft to contain the blazes, with ongoing efforts concentrated near Odemis and Buca. Emergency crews are also working to halt the spread of new fires, and large-scale evacuations have been implemented to protect residents.
What Measures Have Been Taken in Greece?
Greek authorities mobilized over 230 firefighters and multiple aerial units, closed roads, and set up temporary shelters for evacuees. Hospitals were placed on high alert, and the fire service maintained a large deployment on Crete to guard against flare-ups due to strong winds.
Are the Fires Under Control?
As of Friday, July 4, 2025, the wildfire in Crete is largely under control, though authorities remain vigilant for potential flare-ups due to ongoing adverse weather. In Turkey, efforts to contain the fires continue, with some blazes still active and the risk of further outbreaks remaining high.
What Are the Longer-Term Implications?
The current wildfires underscore the growing threat posed by climate change and extreme weather in the Mediterranean region. Both Turkey and Greece are likely to face increasing challenges in managing and preventing such disasters in the future, as summers become hotter and drier, and public pressure mounts for more effective government action and preparedness.