Hundreds of firefighters battled wildfires near several of Turkey’s popular coastal destinations on Thursday, as strong winds complicated efforts to bring the flames under control.

Officials were particularly concerned about fires in the Mediterranean province of Antalya and near the coastal resorts of Fethiye and Ayvalık.

Footage aired by public broadcaster TRT showed a man carrying a lamb on his shoulders as he fled one of the fires.

Turkey’s General Directorate of Forestry said crews had stepped up efforts to contain a fire that broke out near Fethiye on Wednesday after strong winds caused the flames to intensify.

Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu said 850 firefighters, five water-bombing planes and six helicopters were battling a fire near Ayvalık, across the Aegean Sea from the Greek island of Lesbos.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı said 115 forest and other rural fires had been reported across the country since Wednesday, with 110 brought under control.

Turkey was hit by major wildfires in 2025 amid a prolonged drought. Access to forests and other high-risk areas has been restricted in many provinces since the start of the summer season.

Agence France-Presse, with reporting by Turkish Minute