Wildfires Rage in Turkey Due to Excessive Seasonal Temperatures

Due to temperatures exceeding seasonal norms, teams from the General Directorate of Forestry have been placed on high alert. Despite warnings and precautionary measures, forest fires have broken out in İzmir, Antalya, Karabük, and Balıkesir. While fires in three provinces have been brought under control, the fire in İzmir is still ongoing.

It has been around 20 hours since the fire started being extinguished yesterday in the forest area of the Horozgediği neighborhood in the Aliağa district, and due to the wind, it spread to the forest area in the Foça region.

Ground crews have been battling the flames nonstop throughout the night.

Aerial operations, which had been halted due to nightfall, resumed at first light.

Efforts to extinguish the fire involve 6 helicopters, 46 water tankers, 9 bulldozers, 13 additional tankers and trucks from the İzmir Regional Directorate of Forestry.

Two of the four personnel affected by smoke were treated in an ambulance, while the other two were taken to the hospital.

Speaking to journalists at the fire coordination center in the İlipınar area of Foça, Süleyman Elban stated that operations are ongoing without interruption.

He reminded that the fire broke out at 12:36 between the Bozköy and Foça İlipınar neighborhoods in Aliağa and added:

“At 12:49, our aircraft began responding to the fire. However, due to extremely hot weather, humidity levels below 20 percent, and fast and unstable winds, the fire spread rapidly. Our teams have been responding from both the air and the ground and continue to do so. However, the fire is not yet under control.”

Elban reported that 8 planes, 16 helicopters, 71 water trucks, 33 pieces of construction equipment, 44 additional tankers, and 625 personnel were deployed to fight the fire.