OREANDA-NEWS. Forest fires in Turkey affected 42 settlements and 27 evacuated, but now the situation is improving, the authorities said.

"The situation with fires has a tendency to improve. 20 fires continue in six provinces, three planes, nine drones, 38 helicopters, 680 fire engines, 55 pieces of equipment, 4,000 firefighters are involved in their extinguishing. There is no threat to settlements," he said. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey Bekir Pakdemirli to journalists.

Much depends on how successful Friday's firefighting is, he said.

"The fires affected 42 settlements, 27 were evacuated. All our rescue services provide everything necessary for people left homeless. Work has begun to restore the supply of electricity to those where there is no electricity now," said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is in fire-affected areas of Antalya province.

Compensation payments to victims of the fires will begin on Saturday, he added.

According to the Minister of Environment and Urban Development of Turkey, Murat Kurum, 2,300 buildings have been damaged by fires.

On the eve of Pakdemirli reported that extinguishing 20 forest fires continues in seven provinces of Turkey. There were also reported four victims of the disaster and 183 injured.

The fire affected the popular Turkish resorts of Bodrum and Marmaris, in the area of ​​which several hotels were evacuated. Mayor of Bodrum Ahmet Aras told RIA Novosti that the forest fire in its vicinity was extinguished, all the evacuated tourists returned to their hotels, no one was injured.