Turkish drones help fight against forest fires

ANKARA

Turkey’s domestically produced drones – Bayraktar TB2 and Aksungur – are actively taking part in efforts to put out forest fires, the head of Turkey's Defense Industries Presidency said on Sunday.

“Aksungur UAV detected three tower workers during its mission flight yesterday, and thankfully, it helped them escape the flames,” Ismail Demir tweeted.

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, are often used in wildfire surveillance and suppression. They help in the detection, containment, and extinguishing of fires.

Besides material damage, at least eight people have lost their lives in the wildfires since Wednesday.

Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli has said that 119 of 126 fires across 32 cities are under control.

The Turkish president visited areas affected by forest fires, saying 50 million (Turkish) liras [$5.91million] have been released to meet urgent needs.