Wildfires Rage Across Mediterranean as Heat and Wind Fuel Blazes in Turkey, Greece, and Albania

 Firefighters across the Mediterranean region grappled with multiple wildfires on Monday, as extreme heat and strong winds triggered fast-moving blazes in Turkey, Greece, Albania, and parts of the Balkans.

In Turkey, emergency crews faced growing challenges as wildfires swept through three provinces. In the Black Sea province of Karabük—approximately 200 kilometers north of Ankara—smoke choked the skies as a wildfire, now in its sixth day, continued to ravage forested terrain and forced the evacuation of over a dozen villages.

Tragedy struck in the northwestern province of Bursa, where three firefighters were killed on Sunday when their vehicle overturned while en route to a fire. Efforts to contain two separate wildfires continued there on Monday. In the southern provinces of Mersin and Antalya, more than 3,600 residents were evacuated over the weekend. According to the Forestry Ministry, Turkey has been contending with dozens of wildfires in recent weeks amid soaring temperatures, with ten firefighters killed just last week in central Eskişehir province.

Meanwhile, in Greece, firefighters battled a blaze at the base of Mount Hymettus, near densely populated suburbs of Athens and close to a university campus. At least 18 aircraft, including helicopters and water bombers, were deployed to assist in firefighting operations. Several villages were evacuated, and five people sustained injuries during separate wildfire incidents over the weekend.

Across the Ionian Sea in Albania, military units joined firefighters to control a large blaze threatening the popular coastal city of Sarandë and nearby tourist resorts. Local authorities reported the arrest of 13 individuals in connection with arson-related offenses over the past three days.

Neighboring Bulgaria dispatched firefighting aircraft to tackle a major wildfire in a forested region in the southwest, while Serbia, benefiting from heavy rains, managed to bring more than 100 wildfires under control by Monday.

The Mediterranean region has long endured hot and arid summers, but the growing frequency and intensity of heatwaves—driven by climate change—have significantly worsened wildfire outbreaks in recent years. Authorities across affected nations remain on high alert as temperatures are expected to stay elevated through the week.