ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Firefighters brought a wildfire in southern Turkey under control Thursday, a day after more than 1,000 people were evacuated from homes and hotels, officials said.
The fire broke out Wednesday in the district of Gulnar in the Mediterranean coastal province of Mersin and spread to parts of the nearby district of Silifke, fanned by strong winds.
At least 29 water-dropping helicopters, 11 planes and about 850 personnel were involved in efforts to extinguish the blaze, according to Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency, AFAD.
Hundreds of homes and at least two hotels were evacuated as a precaution, the agency said. At least eight people were hospitalized due to the fire, one in serious condition, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.