VIDEO: Unprecedented Fires in Antalya, Turkey Leave 8 Dead and 864 Injured

In southern Turkey, including the resort areas of Antalya and Muğla, forest fires are proving difficult to control.

Bekir Pakdemirli, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, announced that 125 fires are now under control. According to Ria Novosti, he stated, "Fires continue in seven locations within the provinces of Antalya and Muğla. We have 16 aircraft, 51 helicopters, 850 fire trucks, and around 5,000 personnel participating in the efforts. We are receiving assistance from various countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Spain, and Croatia," Pakdemirli told reporters.

He added that if the theory of arson is proven, the perpetrators will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

As reported the previous day, there have been 107 forest fires extinguished in Turkey in the past few days; however, five fires in the resort areas of Antalya and Muğla remain uncontrolled.

The European Commission is also set to provide support to Turkey, sending three firefighting planes to the disaster area to help extinguish the raging blazes. Meanwhile, Turkish authorities insist that most of the fire hotspots are now under control. Despite this, leaders from various local governments frequently report on social media that the scale of the fires is unprecedented, while no helicopters or aerial support for firefighting have yet been received.

The death toll from the forest fires in Turkey has risen to eight, with a total of 864 injured. The fires are spreading rapidly due to strong winds, reaching and destroying residential areas. Many villages and regions have already been evacuated for safety reasons and continue to be evacuated. Reports of casualties and injuries are coming in from various regions due to the fires.