Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks threatened the country’s fourth-largest city early Sunday, causing more than 1,700 people to flee their homes and leaving a firefighter dead.

Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks spread rapidly overnight, threatening Bursa and forcing 3,500 to flee. Greece and Bulgaria are also contending with fires.

Istanbul: Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks threatened the country’s fourth-largest city early Sunday, causing more than 1,700 people to flee their homes and leaving a firefighter dead. Overnight fires in the forested mountains surrounding Bursa in northwest Turkey spread rapidly,

Firefighters battled blazes across Turkey and Bulgaria on Monday as a deadly heatwave went into a second week around much of the Mediterranean.Last week, one wildfire killed at least 10 forest workers and rescuers fighting a blaze near Eskisehir in western Turkey.

Extreme heat, high winds and fires have plagued parts of Greece and Turkey as temperatures in Greece have risen to 111.2 degrees and in Turkey to 122.9 degrees.

Firefighters warn of a "difficult day" ahead, with temperatures are forecast to reach up to 44C (111.2F) on Sunday.