A fire raging in a forested area in the Turkish district of Kırklareli (Lozengrad) has closed a highway leading to the border with Bulgaria, reports the Turkish private television NTV, quoted by BTA.
The fire broke out in a stubble field in the village of Karamesutlu near the town of Babaeski and quickly spread to a nearby forest area under the influence of the wind.
Due to the fire, the "Europe" highway (motorway 0.3), which connects Edirne with Istanbul, was closed to traffic in both directions due to reduced visibility due to smoke. The highway starts in Edirne at the junction with the D-100 road, leading to the Kapıkule/Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint on the border with Bulgaria.
Citizens alerted the authorities about the fire and teams from the fire department, the Forestry Directorate, the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) and the gendarmerie were sent to the scene. In addition to ground equipment, a helicopter and an airplane are also involved in fighting the fire.