Irish tourists in Cyprus have been urged to stay on high alert as wildfires continue to tear through the Mediterranean – and to contact the Irish Embassy in Nicosia if they need help.

More than 1,700 people have fled their homes in Turkey, with civilians running for their lives as infernos raged across major highways and ripped through neighbourhoods.

A firefighter was killed battling the blazes which have ravaged cities across the country, with Bursa, Karabuk, Usak and Kahramanmaras the worst hit.

Irish tourists in Cyprus have been urged to stay on high alert as wildfires continue to tear through the Mediterranean – and to contact the Irish Embassy in Nicosia if they need help. Pic: Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was ‘faced with a truly great disaster’, as 25,000 personnel fought fires across the country.

Neighbouring Greece is battling five major wildfires sparked by 44C heat, with the islands of Kythira and Evia among the most affected. Dramatic pictures showed a Greek firefighter screaming from the roof of a burning house in Krioneri, near Athens, as emergency teams responded to the blaze from the air and on the ground.

Meanwhile, Cyprus has been hit by the worst wildfires in half a century, which have burnt two people alive and destroyed 70 houses.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it stands ready to provide consular assistance.

It advised citizens travelling abroad to consult the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Travel Advice page to assist with making informed decisions when planning a trip.

Families holidaying in the area have also been told to register their phones to receive emergency alerts and, if they see a fire, to dial 112.

Officials at the Acropolis in Athens announced it is shut between midday and 5 pm because of high temperatures ‘for the safety of employees and visitors’.

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote on social media that anyone who lost possessions ‘should know that the state will be by their side’. He said the struggle to block flames had been ‘titanic’.

Fire brigade spokesman Vasilios Vathrakoyannis said teams waged an ‘all-night battle’ on Saturday and warned there is an ‘extremely dangerous’ risk of new fires.

Some 67 firefighters were attending a fire on Kythira yesterday, where about 20% of the island has been affected by fires and evacuation alerts.

Mr Vathrakoyannis said 100 of his men were attending fires in Messinia as high winds continued to fan the flames. Greece has requested assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for six firefighting aircraft.

Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5C in the city of Silopi, surpassing the previous record of 49.5C. Blazes killed ten people in Eskisehir last Wednesday, and Turkish authorities are bringing in local restrictions on water consumption.

Last week, Englishwoman Lucy Armstrong, 37, was seen in tears as she returned to the smouldering remains of her family’s Cyprus villa. She had been forced to flee with her husband, Ben, and son, Ethan, three.

Irish citizens in Cyprus who require consular assistance can contact the Embassy of Ireland in Nicosia at +357 2281 8183. For information, visit Ireland.ie.