Wildfires blaze on in drought-hit Turkey as criticism grows

MARMARIS, Turkey, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Firefighters using planes and helicopters, and locals with buckets of water, battled wildfires raging for a sixth day near southern coastal resorts in drought-hit Turkey on Monday and the government faced fresh criticism of its handling the disaster.

Seven fires were still burning, fanned by temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F), strong winds and low humidity, Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said.

Meteorology maps show areas affected by fires have suffered severe drought in recent months.

Drone footage filmed by Reuters showed grey hillsides near the resort of Marmaris where fires left smouldering buildings and blackened tree trunks.

While 16 planes and 51 helicopters tackled blazes across a swathe of southwest Turkey, villagers carrying water containers up a hill to fight a fire near Marmaris said the government was not doing enough to help them.

“We are here as the entire village, from the locals to others. We didn’t run or anything, so the government must see this and also not run away. It must send some of its planes here,” a woman called Gulhan told Reuters.

Eight people have been killed in the wildfires, but there were no reports of further casualties on Monday.