Huge fire reduces 125 hectares of forests to ash on Mediterranean

ANTALYA – Doğan News Agency

The fire was extinguished after painstaking efforts of more than 16 hours. DHA Photo

A huge fire on June 28 near Adrasan Bay, which is renowned for its sandy beach in the southern province of Antalya’s Kumluca district, has completely destroyed 125 hectares of forests.

The fire even blazed through a resort area, destroying in its path four hotels, one restaurant and one shop.

Firefighters dispatched to the area – reinforced with additional teams from the neighboring provinces of Isparta and Muğla – only managed to bring the fire under control in the morning hours of June 29 after painstaking efforts of more than 16 hours due to strong winds.

Six helicopters and two firefighting aircraft were also sent to the area.

The fire was most likely ignited by embers from picnickers’ barbecues, officials said. Many hotels in Adrasan were evacuated during the fire, while the explosion of gas cylinders inside a restaurant burnt by the fire caused panic.

The locality, located inside an archaeological site, is one of the few areas on the Mediterranean coast that has escaped the construction boom that has blighted nearby sandy beaches. Adrasan is also known for its underwater beauty.