A forest fire continues to threaten residential areas in Smyrna, Turkey's third-largest city by population, according to Turkish media reports.

Helicopters and firefighting planes, which were grounded overnight, have resumed battling the blaze, as reported by the news channel NTV.

This morning, the sky was still filled with gray smoke from the Karşıyaka district of Smyrna, where the fire originated, and the smell of smoke is noticeable throughout the city, a local resident told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Approximately 900 residents from five districts were evacuated overnight, announced Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

"The total area affected is about 16,000 acres. Currently, two planes and eleven helicopters are continuing operations," said Ibrahim Yumakli, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, who assured that urban residents need not "worry."

The intervention at the fire's origin is challenging due to "steep valleys," the minister explained.

Sixteen apartment buildings have been damaged by the fire, and 78 people have been injured, with 29 requiring hospitalization, according to the Turkish Ministry of Health.

Six other fires continue to rage in forested areas in various Turkish cities, including Bolu (northwest) and Aydın (west).