Turkish forest fires rage on

Updated 10.58 Sun Aug 03 2008

Keywords: fire, Turkey, Antalya

Strong winds have hampered efforts to bring a major forest fire under control in Turkey.

More than 2,000 people backed up by more than a dozen aircraft have been involved in tackling the fire which had devastated 4,000 hectares of woodland in the Antalya province.

Fires were still being extinguished in five areas of Antalya, focused in the Manavgat and Serik districts, where six villages had been evacuated.

So far one person has died and another is missing

The fire is endangering the ancient Greek amphitheatre in Aspendos and has destroyed 60 houses.

The deputy general manager of Turkey's forestry directorate Mustafa Kurtulmuslu said he believed fire-fighters were getting control of the fires.

He said fires were still being extinguished in five areas of Antalya, focused in the Manavgat and Serik districts, where six villages had been evacuated.

Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroglu said officials thought the blaze was sparked by the snapping of power lines.

However state power officials said this was not possible.

Antalya has some of the richest remains of Greek civilisation in Turkey and is the nation's top tourist destination.