Forest fire shuts Turkey's Dardanelles Strait
A wildfire burns in Canakkale, Turkey August 22.
Firefighters in the early hours of Wednesday continue battling flames spread by strong winds in Turkey's northwestern province of Canakkale.
The fire started around noon on Tuesday, pushing officials to evacuate several villages and suspend the shipping traffic in both directions along the Dardanelle Strait.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli, who rushed to Canakkale to coordinate the efforts to contain the flames, said the fire affected an approximately 1,500-hectare area.
"We use all our strength to protect settlement areas," Yumakli tweeted in the morning, noting that the aerial intervention continues with seven fire-fighting aircraft and 22 fire-fighting helicopters.
Officials cut the power and natural gas in some neighborhoods, especially around a hospital. More than 1,250 people from nine villages were moved to safety.
A university campus was also evacuated, and officials warned that the flames threatened the city center.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 54 people were affected by the smoke, adding that 48 received treatment in hospital.
