Urgent travel warning to Brits holidaying near wildfire-hit tourist hotspot

AN URGENT travel warning has been issued to Brits holidaying near a wildfire-hit tourist hotspot.

Raging fires have spread across southeastern Turkey over the last week, with Brits warned they “may have to leave”.

Photographs show plumes of smoke rising above a canopy of trees as bright orange flames lick the skyline.

Helicopters were brought out to aid firefighters desperately fighting against the quickly-spreading blaze.

And now the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has issued a stark warning.

A spokesman said: “If there is a wildfire in your area, local authorities may tell you to leave your accommodation. Follow the directions of local authorities. If you see a wildfire, call emergency services on 112.”

Brits could risk a huge fine or prison sentence if they light a fire of any kind or discard cigarettes in risk areas such as woodland, it added.

Turkey has witnessed 74 wildfires this year, destroying around 31,900 acres of land, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

The unpredictability of wildfires means it’s important for travellers to have insurance that covers natural disasters or emergencies, which could save them from financial loss if their holiday is disrupted or cut short.

It comes as last year wildfires in central Greece reached an ammunition dump and blasted a huge fireball into the air.

Strong winds whipped the fires across the Volos region, where they triggered a series of violent explosions near to an air force base that turned the sky blood red.