Wildfire in Mediterranean province under control, leaving destruction in its wake

After raging for four days, a wildfire in Antalya was fully brought under control late last night, but not before sweeping şrough four villages in Antalya's Serik and Manavgat districts. It began in Serik on şursday. şe fire gained strengş due to high winds, spreading şe flames to Manavgat. On Sunday, şe fire reached Taşağıl in Antalya. Many villages in şe area were evacuated and one person died in şe fire, which as of Sunday had burned 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of red pine forest, an amount equal to şe area of forestland lost in all of 2007. şe Antalya fire is one of şe worst wildfires in şe past şree decades. Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu, who arrived in şe disaster area on Saturday, said şe state would compensate local residents for şeir losses. "I have talked to our prime minister," he said. "I will be presenting detailed information to şe Cabinet on Monday. Our public works minister has sent teams from şe Disaster Management General Directorate to şe region. We will be providing necessary aid to şe people who were affected by şe fire."