About 70 wildfires have broken out across 17 provinces on the country’s Aegean and Mediterranean coasts this week, according to local officials, fanned by strong winds and scorching temperatures.
Turkey’s government announced that 57 of the fires had been contained or entirely put out by Friday morning.
But Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said fires were still raging in the provinces of Osmaniye, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Adana, Mersin and Kutahya.
Blazes were also still burning in the Mediterranean resort region of Antalya and the Aegean resort province of Mugla, he added.
“We were hoping to contain some of the fires as of this morning but while we say cautiously that they are improving, we still cannot say they are under control,” Pakdemirli said.
Villages and some hotels have been evacuated in areas popular with tourists and television footage has shown people fleeing across fields as they watched fires close in on their homes.
Pakdemirli said three planes, nine drones, 38 helicopters, 680 firefighting vehicles and 4,000 personnel were involved in the ongoing firefighting efforts.
Russia has sent three giant aircraft while neighbouring Greece, also battling wildfires, said it was “ready to help”.
Turkish officials have promised to bring to account anyone found responsible for starting the fires.
In Manavgat, a Mediterranean coast city that sits 75km (45 miles) east of Antalya, firefighters on the ground and in helicopters were fighting a blaze that killed three people.
Meanwhile, one person was found dead on Thursday in Mugla’s Marmaris area, 290km (180 miles) west of Manavgat.
The blaze was continuing in Marmaris but residential areas were not at risk, Pakdemirli said. Buildings in the area, including a hotel, were evacuated.
