Forest fire kills 5, injures 44 in Turkey

Ankara, June 21 (IANS) Five people were killed and 44 others injured in a forest fire in southeastern Turkey, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Friday.

A stubble fire broke out on Thursday night in the cultivated areas between the Cinar district of the Diyarbakir province and the Mazidagi district of the Mardin province, Yerlikaya said on social media platform X.

The fire was fueled by wind and quickly spread over a wide area, but it has been taken under control following firefighters' interventions, reports Xinhua news agency, citing Yerlikaya.

Local authorities have issued warnings about the high risk of forest fires due to the forecasted extreme heat and dry weather conditions during the week.

Turkey is often subjected to forest fires in summer, especially in its western and southern regions.