A wildfire near Karabuk, north-west Turkey.
© Ridvan Bostanci/APA wildfire near Karabuk, north-west Turkey.
A wildfire killed at least 10 forest workers and rescuers on Wednesday who were battling to douse the flames near Eskişehir in western Turkey, authorities said.

The agriculture minister, İbrahim Yumakli, said the fire killed five forest workers and five rescuers. Local lawmaker Nebi Hatipoğlu and news website BirGün had earlier said 11 had died.

High temperatures and strong winds have fanned the wildfire between Istanbul and the capital Ankara since Tuesday morning, with the spread threatening homes and forcing the evacuation of several villages.

The victims were wrongfooted when the flames suddenly changed direction, causing them to be "burned alive", according to BirGün.



Twenty-four workers were caught in the "brusque evolution of the flames" of whom 14 were being treated in hospital, Yumakli told broadcasters on Wednesday evening.

"Unfortunately, we have lost five forest workers and five (rescuers)," he added.

Hatipoğlu, a deputy from the ruling AKP party, wrote on X there were "no words to describe our grief".

Turkey has been sweltering since Sunday under temperatures between 6C and 12C above the seasonal norms and several fires have been declared.

Agence France-Presse and Reuters