Hundreds evacuated as wildfire burns for third day in western Türkiye VIDEO

Firefighters in western Türkiye continued battling a wildfire for a third consecutive day in the province of Aydın, where 550 people have been evacuated from areas at risk.

Authorities said the blaze has been brought under control, but strong winds are hampering efforts to fully extinguish the fire and are fueling the emergence of new hotspots, Turkish media reports.

Türkiye's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, said the country has recorded 260 wildfires, including 162 outside forested areas.

The minister renewed his appeal for the public to avoid lighting open-air fires, warning that violations of the nationwide ban carry severe penalties.

By Sabina Mammadli