Where wildfires have spread near Antalya and the latest travel advice for UK holidays

Wildfires have been sweeping through southern Europe, including Greece, Italy and Turkey.

Turkey has seen fires across its territory, but particularly near Antalya in the south.

What has happened in Turkey?

Turkish firefighters battled a wildfire near the resort of Kemer in the southern province of Antalya on Tuesday, tackling the blaze from land and air amid high temperatures across the region.

The blaze spread fast through woodland in the area as a result of strong winds and low humidity, the Antalya governor’s office said in a statement.

Ten planes, 22 helicopters and more than 200 vehicles were deployed in the firefighting efforts, with some 120 hectares of woodland burned in the Kemer area, tourism minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy told reporters.

The Turkish blaze spread as an intense summer heatwave scorched large areas of the Mediterranean, with wildfires killing 34 people in Algeria and forcing the evacuation of thousands of tourists from the Greek island of Rhodes.

Antalya governor Ersin Yazici said local authorities had taken all necessary measures to prevent the fire spreading to residential areas.

Kemer State Hospital was evacuated as a precautionary measure and six people were hospitalised due to smoke inhalation, local authorities said.

What is the travel advice for Turkey?

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against some areas of Turkey, but this is mainly along the border with Syria.

In regard to the heatwave, the FCO website reads: “High temperatures are affecting many areas of Turkey and there is a risk of wildfires. Read our guidance on extreme weather and wildfires in Turkey and NHS advice on coping in hot weather.

“Forest fires happen frequently in Turkey during summer. Take care when visiting or driving through woodland areas.

“You could get a fine or prison sentence for lighting a fire of any kind in forbidden areas. This includes barbeques and discarding cigarette butts in the woods.

“If there is a forest fire in your area, local authorities may tell you to leave your accommodation. Follow the directions of local authorities.

“If you see a forest fire, call emergency services on 112.”

There is also a warning against earthquakes: “Many parts of Turkey regularly experience earthquakes and tremors. These can be a high magnitude, cause damage to infrastructure and pose a risk to life.

“A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Gaziantep and neighbouring provinces in the south-east of Turkey in February. Strong earthquakes may continue to affect the region and it remains heavily damaged.”