This week, Türkiye has faced a series of intense forest fires across multiple provinces. Despite the challenging conditions posed by high temperatures, strong winds and dry weather, thousands of emergency responders and volunteers have been actively engaged in relentless firefighting operations.
A devastating fire on Wednesday, in the rural district of Eskişehir, central Türkiye, tragically claimed the lives of 10 individuals, five forest workers and five members of the Search and Rescue Association (AKUT), who courageously battled the rapidly advancing flames as they spread toward neighboring Afyonkarahisar.
On Friday, during a press conference in Istanbul, President Erdoğan stated: “There are currently 27 aircraft and 105 helicopters actively engaged in firefighting efforts. Additionally, 6,000 ground vehicles and 25,000 personnel continue to combat the fires.” He also expressed his condolences to the families who lost their sons in this tragedy.
Wildfire response intensifies
The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that 2,619 people have been evacuated to safe areas due to ongoing forest fires in the provinces of Sakarya, Bilecik, Afyonkarahisar, Izmir and Karabük.
In a post shared on AFAD’s social media account regarding the forest fires, it was stated that extinguishing and cooling efforts are continuing intensively and uninterruptedly both by air and land, particularly in Sakarya, Bilecik, Eskişehir, Afyonkarahisar and Karabük, along with other settlements across the country. These operations are being carried out by the relevant institutions within the framework of the Türkiye Disaster Response Plan.
The statement noted, “A total of 4,231 personnel, 45 aerial vehicles and 1,236 land vehicles are engaged in the fight against the fires.”
It further emphasized that AFAD President Ali Hamza Pehlivan, along with AFAD Vice Presidents Hamza Taşdelen and Önder Bozkurt, disaster response director Sadi Ergin and several AFAD department heads have traveled to the provinces affected by the fires to monitor the situation closely and support the coordination of response efforts.
The following details were also provided in the statement: “To prevent potential risks, 350 residents were evacuated from three neighborhoods in the Geyve district of Sakarya, 1,105 people from seven villages in the Osmaneli district of Bilecik, 58 people from one neighborhood in the Ihsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar, 100 people from one neighborhood in the Bayındır district of Izmir, and 1,006 people from 14 neighborhoods in the Safranbolu and Ovacık districts of Karabük, totaling 2,619 citizens evacuated to safe areas.”
In addition, the following animal evacuations were reported: “Due to the fires in the Geyve district of Sakarya and the Osmaneli district of Bilecik, 4,084 small livestock and 1,796 large livestock were moved to safety. In the Seyitgazi district of Eskişehir and the Ihsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar, 110 small livestock and 20 large livestock were also evacuated. In total, 6,010 animals have been relocated to safe areas. Once the fires are extinguished, citizens are returning to their residences.”
The statement also included information about ongoing damage assessments: “Damage assessment work is being conducted by teams from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, while teams from the Directorate of Finance are carrying out loss assessments.”
As a result of these efforts in the affected areas of Sakarya, Bilecik and Karabük, the damage so far has been identified. In Taşoluk village in Sakarya, two houses and two barns were found to be destroyed or severely damaged. In Bilecik, six storage units and one house were identified as destroyed or severely damaged. In Kamış village in central Karab, eight independent housing units, three storage units, two barns and one hayloft were severely damaged or destroyed. Additionally, furniture damage was identified in eight houses and one storage unit.
Support is being provided to citizens for all verified damage and losses. The statement concluded with condolences and tributes: “We extend our condolences to the families, loved ones, and the nation for the loss of five forest workers and five Search and Rescue Association (AKUT) volunteers who were martyred while intervening in the forest fire in the Seyitgazi district of Eskişehir. We express our deep gratitude to the heroes of the forest and all supporting institutions who, with courage and determination, continue to fight the flames tirelessly day and night to protect our green homeland. We wish a swift recovery to all those affected by the fires.”
Meanwhile, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) provides food support to teams and volunteers fighting forest fires across the country
According to a statement from the Kızılay, the organization is providing food support to teams and volunteers responding to forest fires occurring in various parts of the country.
The teams contribute to uninterrupted firefighting efforts by delivering cold water, ayran (a traditional yogurt-based drink) and packaged food to firefighters, forestry workers and volunteers battling the flames on the ground.
Ongoing forest fires
In the Ovacık and Safranbolu districts of Karabük, in northern Türkiye, efforts to extinguish the forest fires that broke out on July 23 and led to the evacuation of 1,006 people from 14 villages are ongoing.
The fires started near Burunsuz village on the Karabük-Ankara highway around 4:30 p.m. on July 22, in the Mezarlık area of Çavuşlar village in Safranbolu district at 2:30 p.m. and on July 23 in the Pazar Yeri area of Merkez Neighborhood in Kışla village, Ovacık district, at around 4:30 p.m. on the same day.
Upon reports, firefighting helicopters, numerous fire trucks and forest regional directorate water tankers were dispatched to the affected areas. Due to the fires, 14 villages in the central, Safranbolu and Ovacık districts were evacuated as a precaution. In one neighborhood of Kamış village, which was among the evacuated villages, flames spread and caused damage to 20 houses and structures.
Daytime firefighting efforts supported by helicopters in the fire zones continued on the ground throughout the night. The fire near Burunsuz village on the Karabük-Ankara highway was brought under control after 17 hours of work. However, the fires in the Safranbolu and Ovacık districts are still ongoing.
Five firefighting personnel were affected by smoke during the fires. After receiving treatment, they resumed firefighting operations. Additionally, B.K., 58, a resident of Kışla village in Ovacık district, was taken into custody on suspicion of possibly having started the fire, based on reports placing him in the area at the time the fire broke out. Currently, 363 vehicles and 1,386 personnel are involved in combating the two ongoing fires.
In Antalya, southern Türkiye, wildfires broke out on Thursday in the Aksu, Muratpaşa and Manavgat districts, prompting ongoing firefighting efforts by air and land. The fires started in residential and forested areas, with helicopters, water trucks, forest workers and riot control vehicles deployed to contain them.
While fires in Manavgat, Alanya and parts of Muratpaşa have been controlled, the blaze in Aksu, near historic Perge, continues to expand. Authorities evacuated some homes as a precaution and reported damage to several houses and greenhouses, but no casualties have occurred.
Be First to Comment