Turkey up in flames

The wildfires in Turkey have devastated tourist industry, forests and farmland as well as inhabited areas on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts.

The fires began last Wednesday and now threaten the cities of Antalya, Bodrum and Marmaris, where hundreds of tourists and residents were evacuated from their hotels and homes on Sunday.

Frightened tourists and villagers were pulled out by boat as high winds and heat spread the flames. It comes amid the country's worst blazes in at least a decade. Eight people have been killed and thousands evacuated.

More than 1,100 people were evacuated by boat, Bodrum Mayor Ahmet Aras said on Sunday, as roads were not usable. Eight people have been killed by the fires and a total of 10,000 have been evacuated in Mugla province alone.

Temperatures above 40 degrees in several cities in Turkey also caused a record increase in electricity consumption, leading to blackouts on Monday in major cities like Ankara and Istanbul.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government have been widely criticized since it emerged that the country does not have any water-bombing aircraft needed to control fires in mountainous areas.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has also criticized the Turkish President for dismantling the infrastructure of a semi-public organization, which in the past owned water bombers and was in charge of fire fighting.

The raging forest fires were approaching a thermal power plant. Milas mayor Muhammet Tokat said the out-of-control fire had passed a critical point and was heading towards the power plant.

The scorching heat is also affecting neighbor Greece. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday that the country is "facing the worst heatwave since 1987".