Türkiye, forest fires: flames reach the city of Belen

A tremendous fire has broken out in the area of Belen, a city in the province of Hatay, in southern Turkey. The causes that started the fire are still unknown, but the Turkish authorities believe it was man-made. Several units of the fire brigade were on site to put out the blaze.

The mayor of Belen, İbrahim Gül, said the flames had reached the forest near the city, Turkish media reported. According to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Yumaklı the fire could have started from someone who was burning the brushwood in his garden. The efforts of the Fire Brigade to tame the flames continue. During the firefighting work, a tanker was engulfed in flames. Two military helicopters and a lot of military construction equipment and military personnel have been sent to the region.