The Dardanelles Strait has been temporarily closed to maritime traffic due to ongoing forest fires in northwestern Turkey, according to the country’s transport ministry.
This major international waterway was shut down as a precautionary measure as the fires spread near the city of Canakkale, prompting the evacuation of a number of residents.
Turkish firefighters have been deployed to combat the blazes, with specialist firefighting planes and helicopters also in operation.
The Dardanelles Strait connects the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara and, along with the Bosporus Strait, serves as a critical route for commercial shipping between Europe and Asia.
Official data indicates that nearly 46,000 vessels transited the Dardanelles in 2024.
Local officials have reported that strong winds have been exacerbating the wildfires, contributing to their spread in the hot, dry conditions. The provincial governor of Canakkale stated on Friday, as quoted in Turkiye Today, that efforts to extinguish the fires are ongoing “both from the air and ground.”
Canakkale’s main airport is currently closed to passenger flights, but continues to facilitate firefighting and search and rescue aircraft operations.
This summer has seen hundreds of wildfires break out across Turkey, resulting in the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents from their homes.
In July, at least 10 forestry and rescue workers were killed while battling wildfires in the country’s central Eskisehir province.
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Crews from 37 stations have been sent to the fire since it started early on Sunday.