Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said a total of 407 houses, 17 businesses and 96 barns have been destroyed or severely damaged across 13 provinces in Türkiye since June 1 due to forest fires.
In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday, Yerlikaya noted that damage assessments are being carried out swiftly by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), along with other relevant institutions.
Yerlikaya said TL 128.4 million ($3.16 million) in total has been allocated to the affected areas. Payments have already been made to 490 households across seven provinces, amounting to more than TL 83.2 million.
He said the western province of Izmir was among the hardest hit, with 295 homes damaged. A total of TL 40.5 million has been distributed there, including TL 34.3 million for damaged housing and TL 6.2 million for other related needs.
In Bilecik, in northwestern Türkiye, 69 damaged homes prompted the allocation of nearly TL 35.7 million in compensation.
Yerlikaya also detailed payments made in several other provinces. In Akhisar, a district of Manisa in western Türkiye, TL 1.7 million was provided for five homes. In Hatay, in the south, TL 2.2 million was paid following damage assessments on 71 homes.
In northwestern Türkiye’s Çanakkale, TL 800,966 was delivered to 10 households for damage to 2 homes and belongings. 4 households in Sakarya received TL 495,000, while 36 homes in the northern province of Karabük were supported with TL 1.8 million.
To address urgent housing needs, 105 container homes were sent to the impacted provinces. As of now, 63 containers have been installed, including 26 in Izmir, 27 in Bilecik, three in Sakarya and seven in Karabük.
Yerlikaya urged the public to act with heightened caution during the hot summer months to prevent further fires. “Especially during the summer heat, it is critically important that our citizens take extra precautions to protect our forests,” he said. “May God protect our nation and country from all kinds of disasters.”
Yerlikaya also shared a detailed breakdown of the damage assessments carried out. In Izmir, 288 buildings, 320 independent units, 252 homes, 13 businesses and 27 barns were affected. In Bilecik, 134 buildings, 157 independent units, 75 homes, three businesses and 33 barns sustained damage.
In Hatay, assessments covered four buildings, 4 units and one barn. In Çanakkale, authorities documented damage to 8 buildings, 9 units, 2 homes and 6 barns. Tekirdağ recorded 12 buildings, 13 units, one home and 11 barns. In Sakarya, assessments noted 10 buildings, 12 units, seven homes and two barns, while Karabük saw damage to 64 buildings, 74 units, 45 homes and three barns.
Other affected provinces included Antalya, with three homes and one barn, Ankara, with 11 damaged homes, Uşak, with four homes and seven barns, Mersin, with three homes, Bursa, with one home, one business and three barns, and Kahramanmaraş, where three homes and two barns were damaged.
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