Turkish wildfires threaten to devastate Anzac miners’ war graves at Gallipoli.
Fires broke out on the Gallipoli Peninsula earlier this week and have been burning out of control in hot, low-humid conditions.
In Australia, the Returned and Services League (RSL) said it was monitoring the situation and hoped the graves of Australians and New Zealanders killed in the influential Gallipoli campaign during World War I were unscathed.
RSL Australia president Greg Melick said he understood the famous Lone Pine Cemetery was closed to visitors for safety and to allow firefighters to do their job better.
“We are confident that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, local authorities and fire services will do everything they can to protect and rehabilitate sacred sites and monuments, but we understand the situation is serious and we remain concerned,” he said.
Although communication with local authorities was limited, the RSL also sought to discover the status of the original landing site.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned on Friday that the fires could reach Australian soldiers’ graves at Anzac Cove.
“Our thoughts today are with our friends in Turkey. We know that efforts are underway to control the fires burning on the Gallipoli Peninsula,” Albanese told a news conference.
Wildfires in Turkey threaten war graves of Anzac soldiers killed in Gallipoli campaign
‘Gallipoli is, of course, sacred ground for both countries.
“Some 60,000 Australians served at Gallipoli during the eight-month campaign, and 8,700 Australians lost their lives,” he said, referring to the Gallipoli campaign of World War I.
‘During the campaign 18,000 people were injured and more than 7,200 Australians were buried in cemeteries or recorded as missing there.
“So our thoughts today are with those who continue to care for these cemeteries and welcome thousands of Australians who visit the ANZAC gravestones each year, as they endure these difficult times.”
Turkey’s Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Karacabey said earlier that firefighters were bringing the blaze around the tomb area under control.
“We are intervening non-stop from the ground and air with the guardians of #GreenHomeland to control the forest fire in Eceabat, Çanakkale,” Karacabey wrote in a Facebook post.
‘Let us be careful to avoid further fires in these days when the risk of fire increases due to extraordinary weather conditions.’
Wildfires have been raging across Turkey, including this blaze in the tourist-popular Milas district.