Shipping from the Aegean to the Sea of Marmara has been suspended due to the ongoing forest fire in the Turkish northwestern province of Canakkale, the transport ministry and a shipping agency said on Tuesday (August 22), Reuters reports.
The Dardanelles Strait, a narrow and historically significant passage connecting the Aegean Sea to the Black Sea, serves as a vital shipping route for vessels traveling between Europe and Asia.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said the forest fire had prompted the evacuation of six villages in its path, Canakkale Air Command Centre and the local university campus.
Eight aircraft, 26 helicopters, 180 water-tenders and approximately 1100 firefighters have been sent to the area, authorities said.
