The precautionary measures were taken to ensure the safety of residents in the face of the spreading wildfires.

"A total of 1,251 citizens from Kayadere, Damyeri (Fevzi Çakmak Neighbourhood), Yağcılar, Ulupınar, Belen, Kalabaklı, Aşağıokçular, Kızılcaören, and Taşlıtarla villages were evacuated from their homes," Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on social media platform X.

Additionally, 45 individuals from the Sarıcaeli village elderly care home were safely relocated to the Terzioğlu dormitory. The Canakkale-Çan highway was closed to civilian vehicle traffic as a precautionary measure, he added.

To combat the flames, eight planes, 26 helicopters, around 240 street sprinklers, construction equipment, and nearly 1,690 personnel have been deployed. These efforts are aimed at containing and extinguishing the rapidly spreading fires that have been exacerbated by strong winds in the region.

The severity of the situation prompted authorities to close the Canakkale (Dardanelles) Strait to north-south ship passage. The decision was made in light of the urgency to manage the wildfire and ensure the safety of maritime traffic and nearby communities.

Yerlikaya reported that at least 54 people have been affected by smoke inhalation and of them, 48 are currently receiving medical treatment.

The fires, which ignited earlier on Tuesday, have raised concerns due to their swift propagation across the region. The combined efforts of firefighting teams, emergency personnel, and authorities are focused on bringing the situation under control and safeguarding the affected communities. (ILKHA)