At least 17 people have lost their lives in Turkey last month due to the devastating forest fires affecting the country, amid extreme temperatures and strong winds supplying the fiery fronts throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.

The most recent tragedy occurred near Bursa, the country’s fourth largest city, where two volunteer firefighters succumbed to their wounds after overthrowing a waterway on the road to fire front.

Another worker had lost his life, while on Sunday a professional firefighter suffered a heart attack and ended up.

More than 3,500 residents in the wider area were forced to leave their homes over the weekend as the fire approached inhabited areas.

It is noted that among the dead are 10 volunteer rescuers and rangers who died in a fire in Escisehir, western Turkey, last Wednesday.

Despite extinguishing efforts, large forests have already been destroyed. According to Forest Minister Ibrahim Yumakli on Sunday, the country faced 44 separate fires in just one day.

The Western provinces of Izmir and Bilejik have been declared an emergency, as the fiery fronts are raging uncontrollably in many places.

Turkey’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tundz said that in relation to the causes of the fires, there is a indictment against 97 people in 33 of the country’s 81 provinces.

There was tension on Sunday night in the village of Harmantzik, 57 kilometers south of Bursa, when it became known that a suspect was arrested for arson.

An angry crowd gathered outside the Police Department demanding his surrender, but was eventually removed after the authorities’ assurances of a complete investigation of the case.