191 wildfires in Turkey under control: Forestry minister

ANKARA

Turkey has contained a total of 191 wildfires in 44 provinces over the last nine days, the country's agriculture and forestry minister said Thursday.

Efforts are underway to put out the remaining 13 blazes in six provinces -- Adana, Antalya, Aydin, Denizli, Isparta and Mugla, Bekir Pakdemirli said on Twitter.

According to official figures, at least eight people have lost their lives since the fires started in south and southwestern Turkey on July 28.

"We continue our effective intervention with 16 planes, 56 helicopters and 850 water trucks and tankers," Pakdemirli said in a joint press conference earlier in the evening.

These are supported by a total of 23 aircraft from different countries, including five aircraft and three helicopters from Russia, three aircraft and four helicopters from Ukraine, two amphibious aircraft from Spain, an amphibious aircraft from Croatia, and an aircraft and two helicopters from Azerbaijan, he told reporters in Marmaris district in the ​​southern province of Mugla.

The wildfires have affected 3,714 farmers, 31,000 decares of land, 668 decares of greenhouse production area, 397 cattle, 3,961 sheep and goats, 4,856 beehives, 1,353 agricultural structures, 1,137 machines and 2,088 tons of products in depots in five provinces, 18 districts and 99 villages, added Pakdemirli.

Also present at the press conference, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that a total of 36,365 people from 11,844 households were evacuated due to the flames in Mugla.

So far, 2,975 personnel have participated in efforts to extinguish the flames, Soylu said.

Also, 110 personnel and 54 vehicles from Azerbaijan have been transferred to Turkey and are in the field, he noted.

Soylu also said that a total of 20 million Turkish liras ($2.34 million) of aid had been sent to the region by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Ministry of Family and Social Services, and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

*Writing by Gozde Bayar