Turkey: Wildfires Sweep Through Izmir, Disrupting Flights

Wildfires in the western province of Izmir have resulted in the evacuation of multiple villages and neighborhoods, local authorities reported. The first fire began on Sunday, June 29, between the districts of Seferihisar and Menderes and have been exacerbated by strong winds. According to officials, more than 1,000 personnel, supported by aircraft and helicopters, have been deployed to contain the fires. A separate blaze was also reported at a landfill site in Gaziemir, near central Izmir, posing a threat to nearby woodland and the Otokent industrial zone. Flight operations at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport were temporarily suspended as a precaution.

US: Woodland Grass Fire Grows to 100 Acres, Prompting Road Closures

A grass fire sparked by a combine harvester cutting wheat grew to 100 acres in Woodland, California, on Tuesday, June 3. Roads near the affected area were closed, and drivers were advised to avoid the vicinity. No injuries have been reported at the time of writing.

UK: Wildfire Burns Overnight in Cumbernauld, Scotland

A fire erupted in Cumbernauld, Scotland on Thursday evening, April 10 prompting the evacuation of some properties and road closures in the area. The blaze kept burning overnight and fire crews remained on site Friday morning.

Forest fire in NW Türkiye under control: minister

STORY: Forest fire in NW Türkiye under control: minister DATELINE: Aug. 25, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:23 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of forest fire under control 2. various of burnt woodland 3. various of burnt village houses due to the forest fire STORYLINE: A forest fire scorching Türkiye's northwestern province of Canakkale over the last two days has been brought under control, the agriculture and forestry minister said Thursday. Ibrahim Yumakli said a total of 11 villages have been evacuated and several houses were damaged by the fire. Yumakli noted that the fire affected 4,080 hectares of land and was put out after intensive efforts. In order to help firefighters get water to put out the flames, maritime traffic through the strait of Dardanelles, which connects the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, has been suspended several times. Officials said 97 people were affected by smoke inhalation, and 37 of them have been hospitalized.

Spain to declare areas affected by wildfires as "catastrophe zones"

STORY: Spain to declare areas affected by wildfires as "catastrophe zones" DATELINE: Aug. 23, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:16 LOCATION: Madrid CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of Pedro Sanchez visiting areas affected by forest fire 2. various of wildfires around the municipality of Bejis 3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): PEDRO SANCHEZ, Spanish Prime Minister 4. Pedro Sanchez shaking hands with members of the Military Emergencies Unit (UME) STORYLINE: Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday said that the areas affected by wildfires this year will be declared as "catastrophe zones" in the meeting of his cabinet on Tuesday. Sanchez made the declaration while visiting the region around the municipality of Bejis in eastern Spain, which has been badly affected by a forest fire over the past week. The fire has now been brought under control but has left around 20,000 hectares of woodland and scrub destroyed. According to the Spanish government, 223,000 hectares of land have been affected by wildfires this summer,

Wildfires stretching across Spain as heatwave continues

STORY: Wildfires stretching across Spain as heatwave continues DATELINE: July 19, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:48 LOCATION: Madrid CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of the forest fire in the north of Barcelona (courtesy of firefighters of the Spanish region of Catalonia) STORYLINE: Wildfires have so far burnt more than 22,000 hectares of woodland and scrub in Spain since the start of the heatwave over a week ago, emergency services calculated. Temperatures above 44 degrees centigrade in southern and southwestern Spain and around 40 degrees centigrade for the rest of the country, coming on the back of exceptionally hot and dry months of May and June, have produced the perfect conditions for the wildfires to spread. In southwestern Spain's autonomous community Extremadura, the fire in the comarca of Las Hurdes remains out of control, while a new fire broke out on Saturday in the comarca of Valle de Jerte, which the Regional Government of Extremadura said "started in an absolutely deliberate manner."

Spanish PM visits wildfire sites after flames claim two lives

STORY: Spanish PM visits wildfire sites after flames claim two lives DATELINE: July 19, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:53 LOCATION: Madrid CATEGORY: POLITICS/ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. shot of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visiting wildfire sites 2. various of wildfires in Spain 3. shot of rescue teams 4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): PEDRO SANCHEZ, Spanish Prime Minister 5. various of wildfires in Spain STORYLINE: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the region of Extremadura on Monday as firefighters continued to battle wildfires that claimed two lives over the weekend. The body of a 69-year-old shepherd was found in an area known as Las Hurdes, where flames have destroyed over 6,000 hectares of woodland and scrub, while a firefighter lost his life to forest fire in the province of Zamora (central Spain), which also saw two others taken to hospital with burns. The tragedies happened as Spain continues to suffer temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius and even 45 degrees in some areas of the country, with flame

Climate change brings early heatwave in Spain: authority

STORY: Climate change brings early heatwave in Spain: authority DATELINE: June 20, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:21 LOCATION: Madrid CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of wildfires in Spain 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Spanish): RUBEN DEL CAMPO, Spokesperson for the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) 3. various of heatwave in Spain 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Spanish): RUBEN DEL CAMPO, Spokesperson for the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) 5. various of heatwave in Spain 6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Spanish): RUBEN DEL CAMPO, Spokesperson for the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) 7. various of heatwave in Spain STORYLINE: One of the worst heatwaves to affect Spain is the main reason behind a series of wildfires that have destroyed thousands of hectares of woodland in recent days. The fire in the nature reserve of the Sierra de la Culebra in the province of Zamora in northwest Spain has destroyed over 20,000 hectares of wood and scrubland after being started by a lightning strike. Around 1,700 people have been evacuated in Zamora. Ano