Izmir airport reopens after wildfires force flights to be grounded

Operations at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport in Turkey are returning to normal on Monday (June 30) after wildfires forced flights to be grounded on Sunday (June 29).

Services affected by the temporary closure of the airport include a Sun Express Airlines flight due to depart to Stansted on Sunday evening, which has been delayed by 22.5 hours.

Departures on the airport’s online board services on Monday morning show flights are taking off to Manchester, Stansted and other airports.

The mayor of Izmir, Dr Cemil Tugay, posted on Facebook on Sunday: “Today is a very difficult day for us, we are simultaneously fighting several fires around our beautiful Izmir.”

He said forest fires had spread to other areas “with the influence of strong winds” and urged citizens “to be more cautious against the risk of fire”.

News of the wildfires comes as heatwaves sweep across the Mediterranean, with authorities in many countries issuing health warnings amid soaring temperatures.

The BBC reported that southern Spain is the worst affected region, with temperatures in the mid-40s Celsius recorded in Seville and neighbouring areas.

Red heat warnings are in force in parts of Portugal, Italy and Croatia, with numerous amber warnings covering areas of Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland, said the BBC.