Fires in Turkey, while heat-related situation worsens in Europe

As western and southern regions of Europe face early summer heatwaves, more than 50,000 people have been evacuated due to wildfires in the western part of Turkey. Especially in İzmir province, forest fires expanded with the help of strong winds, further worsening the situation.

According to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), more than 42,000 citizens have been relocated to safe zones just from İzmir province alone. The country’s coastal regions have increasingly faced wildfires in recent years due to intensifying summer droughts and high temperatures. Experts link this situation to climate change caused by human activity.

On Sunday, in the Aude department in southwestern France, a fire covered nearly 400 hectares. As a result, several camps and a historic abbey were evacuated. In areas where temperatures rose up to 40°C, the fires are currently under control but not fully extinguished.

France's meteorological service Meteo France issued an "orange" level heat warning in 84 of the country’s 101 departments.

In Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal, and even the Netherlands, which normally has a milder climate, warnings about health-threatening temperatures have been issued. Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET announced that this June is being recorded as the hottest in the country’s history. Temperatures reached 42°C in Seville and 43.7°C in the city of El Granado.

In Italy, the Ministry of Health declared the highest “red” warning level for 16 cities, including Rome and Milan. The Lombardy region is considering a ban on outdoor work during peak heat hours.

In Germany, amid temperatures rising up to 34°C, calls for water consumption restrictions have been made. The heatwave caused water levels in the Rhine River to drop, increasing freight costs. This is also leading to sharp price hikes in the regional energy market.

According to Samantha Burgess, a representative of the European Union’s Copernicus climate service, “A large part of Europe is currently experiencing heatwave levels usually observed in July or August.” Temperatures are 5–10°C above average.

Experts state that nearly 480,000 people die worldwide each year due to extreme heat. This figure exceeds the combined deaths from floods, earthquakes, and storms. Heat puts pressure not only on health but also on infrastructure, the economy, and healthcare systems.

According to scientists, the main cause of such events is greenhouse gases generated from fuel combustion. The year 2024 has been recorded as the hottest year in history. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!