ISTANBUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) — Wildfires swept through Türkiye’s northwestern Canakkale province on Monday, forcing evacuations while disrupting land, air, and sea traffic, authorities said.
Governor Omer Toraman said on social media platform X that a total of 77 people were being treated for smoke inhalation, with no life-threatening injuries reported.
Fires broke out in two locations, spreading into residential areas and prompting the evacuation of 2,090 residents from high-risk zones by land and sea, he said.
Air traffic at Canakkale Airport and sea traffic through the Dardanelles Strait — one of the world’s busiest waterways linking the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean Sea — were suspended in both directions. The strait will remain closed until midnight, the Directorate of Coastal Safety said.
A section of a highway was also shut down due to the fire. Toraman said firefighting operations were continuing from the air and the ground, supported by heavy machinery.
Footage from the Hurriyet daily showed houses and vehicles reduced to ashes.
Two other wildfires hit Canakkale on Friday, also triggering mass evacuations and major transport disruptions.
