The Dardanelles Strait was temporarily closed to maritime traffic due to forest fires that rage in northwestern Turkey, the country’s Ministry of Transport said.
The main international navigable track was closed as a precaution, she said, while the flames spread near the city of Canakkale, where a certain number of residents were evacuated.
Turkish firefighters were deployed to try to contain the fires. Specialized fire -fighting plans and helicopters are also used.
The Dardanelles connects the Aegean Sea to the Marmara Sea. With the Bosporus Strait, it serves as a vital route for commercial shipment between Europe and Asia.
Nearly 46,000 ships crossed the Dardanelles in 2024, according to official data.
Local officials said that strong winds and hot dry weather intensified forest fires. Efforts to put out “air and soil” fires were underway, the provincial governor of Canakkale said on Friday – quoted in Turkiye – said on Friday.
Canakkale’s main airport is closed to passenger flights, but fire -fighting planes and research and rescue are still working from there.
