Turkey says 110 of 115 fires are under control

Turkish authorities said Thursday that firefighters were responding to 115 fires across the country, with 110 completely under control, as crews continued working in tourist regions including Antalya and the Dardanelles.

Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli gave the figures while speaking from the wildfire coordination centre in Ankara. He said 69 of the fires being battled on Wednesday had ignited outside forested areas.

Yumakli said four main fires in the regions of Mugla, Antalya and Kas, Balikesir and Canakkale in the Dardanelles were largely under control. He did not specify the size of the affected areas.

Turkey's forestry directorate said it was carrying out intensive air and ground operations against forest fires that broke out Wednesday due to strong winds. It specifically mentioned the Antalya-to-Alanya and Mugla-to-Fethiye routes, where seaside resorts line the Mediterranean coast.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had earlier cited 90 fire outbreaks on Wednesday alone in Turkey.