Turkey wildfires: Worcester expat’s ‘terrifying’ ordeal

A woman whose house was nearly destroyed by wildfires in Turkey says the ordeal has been “really, really terrifying”.

Gabrielle Olmez, originally from Worcester, said she and her toddler had to flee their home.

The property was “saved by an inch of its life”, she said, and thanked the local community for its aid.

The blazes have raged for several days as Turkey grapples with its worst fire crisis in a decade.

At least eight people have been killed as flames ripped through the south of the country, ravaging coastal resorts and forcing tourists to head for safety.

image caption At least eight people have died and hundreds have been evacuated as the fires rage in Turkey

Mrs Olmez, who moved to the country about eight years ago and lives there with her husband and son, said the blazes surrounded their home in Turunc, near Marmaris.

“We are just trying to fight the fires off. They stop and start again. It has been day and night, non-stop,” she said.

She added she was worried about all the smoke in the air and had kept her 20-month-old son indoors where he was watching children’s TV programme Fireman Sam “so he is actually quite in awe of all the people that are helping”.

Mrs Olmez said residents had been working together to help firefighters in her town as they battled the flames.

The community has been supplying crews with food, drinks, clothing and protective equipment.

“Everybody in the community is doing everything they can to keep the fires at bay and to hopefully get rid of them all,” Mrs Olmez said.

“I do not want to tempt fate, but at the moment it looks like we are surviving and [winning] the battle.”

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