Türkiye battles widespread fires: 72 blazes nationwide, major evacuations in Izmir
Flames rise as aerial and ground firefighting efforts continue to extinguish the fire that broke out in the Yamanlar Karatepe area of Izmir's Karsiyaka district, Türkiye on August 16, 2024. (AA Photo)
On Friday, Türkiye intensified its battle against a series of fires, including forest and rural blazes that erupted across various regions of the country.
Fires that broke out all over the country with the arrival of the summer months continued today. In Izmir, Aydın, Mugla, Manisa, Manisa, Bolu, Karabuk and Antalya, forest fires continue to be fought by teams.
72 fires across Türkiye
On the other hand, in a statement made by the Türkiye’s Communication Presidency, “72 fires broke out across the country, 45 of which have been brought under control. 27 fires are still being intervened,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed that the fire in northwestern Canakkale province was brought under control earlier in the day.
However, a significant fire in the northwestern Bolu province, which began on Thursday, expanded to a 30-kilometer area due to strong winds. The containment efforts in Bolu involve 11 helicopters, 118 ground vehicles, and 601 personnel, with operations set to continue overnight.
Wild fires threaten Izmir
In the Aegean region, three fires broke out in Izmir province. Yumakli noted that efforts to control these fires are ongoing.
In Izmir, devastating fires have swept through the Kemalpasa and Karsiyaka districts, fueled by strong winds that accelerated their spread. In Karsiyaka, the situation became particularly dire as flames reached residential areas, with a building in a complex in Ornekkoy catching fire. Residents scrambled to evacuate the area by car as the blaze intensified.
The Karsiyaka Municipality urgently called for all available heavy machinery in the city to assist in the firefighting efforts.
AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) reported that 87 homes and 45 businesses in Karşıyaka were evacuated due to the advancing forest fire. Additionally, 16 homes have been confirmed as burned in the affected areas.
78 people affected, 900 evacuated
The Ministry of Health also announced that 78 citizens were affected by the fire in Karsikaya and 29 people were taken under treatment.
The Ministry said, “78 people were affected by the forest fire in Izmir. The treatment of 29 people continues in our hospitals.”
On the other hand, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that a total of 900 citizens were evacuated in Karsiyaka and Bayindir districts.
Fire erupts in Antalya and Karabuk
Meanwhile, a fire erupted in the forested area of Serik district, Antalya, around 11:00 p.m. local time in the Koyak region of Sariabali Village. The Antalya Regional Forestry Directorate and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality firefighting teams are actively working to control the blaze.
In Karabuk’s Ovacık district, a fire broke out in the forested area between Beydini and Alınca villages for unknown reasons.
The fire spread rapidly, leading to the deployment of 9 water tankers, 3 water supply vehicles, 2 bulldozers, 11 pick-ups, 4 initial response vehicles, and 81 personnel. Given the fire’s swift progression in rocky terrain, helicopter support has been requested, and smoke is visible from various parts of the city.
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