Turkey warned of deadly heatwave and fire risk as unprecedented temperatures approach

Prof. Dr. Levent Kurnaz, director of the Climate Change and Policies Research Center at Boğaziçi University, cautioned that Turkey could experience unprecedented summer temperatures combined with high humidity. He warned that such conditions may persist for a week or longer and could lead to lethal outcomes, especially for the elderly, drawing a parallel to the 2003 French heatwave that caused roughly 17,000 deaths in two weeks.

Kurnaz also highlighted the danger of forest fires, noting that a reduction in steady rainfall and the occurrence of brief, intense downpours will do little to mitigate fire risk. He said these climatic shifts, together with human negligence, could trigger serious wildfire incidents across the country.