During the forest fire that broke out between Bursa’s Gürsu and Kestel districts in northwestern Türkiye, the residents of Karahıdır, a rural neighborhood surrounded by forest and coming within meters of the advancing flames, say they believe the area will eventually return to its former state.
The fire, which started on July 26 in the area between TOKI housing in Gürsu’s Ipekyolu neighborhood and Kestel’s Ağlaşan neighborhood, was brought under control yesterday after spreading across a wide area.
Cooling efforts continue in the region, while residents of rural Karahıdır, part of Gürsu district, who were evacuated as a precaution during the fire, say they cannot forget what they experienced.
Drone footage of Karahıdır, which narrowly escaped the flames thanks to collective firefighting efforts, reveals the scale of the devastation, with all the surrounding forest completely burned. Villagers are now hoping for the landscape to regain its former greenery.
Erol Karakaş, the mukhtar of Karahıdır, stated that the fire was prevented from spreading to the neighborhood thanks to the mobilization of all state units.
Karakaş shared the unforgettable moments they endured, saying, “It was a desperate situation on the day the fire arrived; we felt helpless. May God bless our government, our citizens and all our municipalities for their support. They showed how united the Turkish nation can be. Currently, our forests are on fire. We want them to be reforested as soon as possible. We hope to restore our forests through cooperation among citizens, villagers, municipalities and all state resources.”
He noted that recovery efforts have already begun, continuing, “All institutions worked in solidarity to keep the flames from reaching the village. The fire got within 3-5 meters of our homes, that’s as far as we could stop it. We now want to do everything we can, with support from the state and municipalities, to reforest the area.”
Ali Yaşar Bezgin, one of the residents, also said that citizens supported the firefighting teams by bringing water tankers during the blaze.
He emphasized the scale of the mobilization that stopped the fire from reaching residential areas, “Together, with great effort and a shift in the wind’s direction, we thankfully prevented damage to our homes. Unfortunately, we couldn’t save the forest and our green spaces. That saddens us deeply.”
Bezgin said the locals are ready to help restore the area, “There’s now a risk of landslides and floods in the burned areas. We want terracing systems to be implemented step by step to address these risks, and then a major reforestation campaign to restore the area quickly. This forest was like our lungs. It was where we breathed, relieved stress, and felt refreshed. We hope a joint mobilization will begin to bring it back.”
Another resident, Ali Kiraz, said he had supported the firefighting efforts from the very beginning. He recalled that the neighborhood was evacuated as the flames advanced down the mountain, “With incredible solidarity and a strong sense of unity, we managed to stop the fire from reaching our homes. We all lived through this disaster together – and we’re still living with its effects. If the area can return to its green, vibrant past, it will be a great relief for us.”
Green amid ashes
During the fire, a 48-decare nectarine orchard, surrounded by scorched forest, stood out with its greenery amid the otherwise gray, ash-covered landscape.
Hamdi Ülgen, a resident of the Karahıdır neighborhood and co-owner of 24 decare of the orchard, said that they joined the firefighting efforts on the day of the fire by towing water tanks with their tractors.
Ülgen explained that although the surrounding area was reduced to ashes, the nectarine orchard remained undamaged. He noted that they had cleared the dry grass from the orchard floor in advance, which likely helped prevent the fire from spreading into it.
He added that the remaining portion of the orchard belongs to his friend Halil Kiraz, and that part also remained unharmed.
“We kept watering the orchard regularly, and that saved us. We were scared it would burn. There were huge flames here,” Ülgen said.
He emphasized that they had initially assumed the orchard was lost, “We thought it had burned. The whole area was covered in smoke. Sparks were flying over our heads. When we saw it hadn’t burned, we were shocked as a village. It was truly a matter of divine grace; we must have had some blessing or charity protecting us. Our friends even joked, ‘You must have a pure heart; that’s why your land was spared.’ Only a few trees on the edge were slightly damaged.”
Ülgen said the orchard’s irrigation system was damaged in the fire, and they plan to repair it as soon as possible to keep the orchard green and protect the fruit from any harm.
Wildfire damage assessment
Meanwhile, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum reported that 132 independent units were severely damaged or destroyed in forest fires across Karabük, Bilecik, Sakarya, Uşak, Antalya, Bursa and Kahramanmaraş.
Sharing an update on social media about the ongoing damage assessments, Kurum said that all signs of disaster will be swiftly removed in affected cities.
He noted that since July 20, assessments have continued in areas where wildfires have been brought under control, “As a result of our teams’ assessments so far, we have identified 132 independent units, 66 of which are residences – that are either heavily damaged or destroyed: 74 in Karabük, 16 in Bilecik, 12 in Sakarya, 13 in Uşak, seven in Antalya, five in Bursa and five in Kahramanmaraş.”
On Wednesday, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced new developments in the investigations into forest fires across Türkiye, revealing that authorities have detained 168 suspects since June 1.
Tunç noted that 39 individuals have been formally arrested so far, an increase from the 38 previously mentioned by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Judicial control measures have been imposed on 64 others, and investigations are still ongoing. He also stated that 127 individuals are currently serving prison sentences for crimes related to past forest fires, including 67 who have been convicted by final court rulings.
During his remarks, Minister Tunç drew attention to a specific case in Bursa involving deliberate arson. He explained that on July 27, 2025, a man set trees ablaze in Kışmanlar Park after purchasing gasoline from a nearby station. The fire spread rapidly, leading to further destruction in the area.
It was later discovered that the individual, an ex-air force noncommissioned officer, had been expelled from the military in 2021 due to his affiliation with the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). He had graduated in 2015 and was discharged six years later.
During the act, the gasoline ignited prematurely, causing burns on the suspect’s body. He reportedly dropped his phone at the scene, which was also damaged by fire. Authorities have since seized the device for forensic analysis.
Minister Tunç emphasized that investigators are working to determine whether the arson was connected to terrorist motives or other forms of coordination, stating that these questions will be clarified as the investigation progresses.
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