Forest fires in Turkey’s west cost damage residential areas, force hundreds to evacuate
A forest fire in Turkey's Aegean İzmir province has been raging for two days, damaging residential areas and forcing at least 900 people to evacuate. The Forest Ministry reported that a total of 72 fires affected at least 1,600 hectares in one day across the country.
Duvar English
As of Aug. 17, the fire in the forest area in Yamanlar Mountain in Aegean İzmir province’s Karşıyaka district has been continuing on the second day.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı stated that the cause of the forest fire was a fire started by three people for a picnic. He reported that 17 houses were burned, and 105 houses along with 44 businesses were also evacuated.
As the wildfire approached the other residential areas, a ten-story apartment building’s roof was also burnt down.
According to the Interior Ministry, a total of 900 people were evacuated in İzmir as of noon, Aug. 17. İzmir Metropolitan Municipality announced that residents who were affected by the fires were accommodated in a nearby sports complex during the night.
Earlier on Aug. 17, Health Ministry reported that 78 people were affected by the fires and the treatment of 29 have been continuing in the hospitals.
On Aug. 17 morning, Forestry Minister Yumaklı stated that the fire has not been a concern for the urban areas anymore. Turkish authorities have been looking to capture three people who were deemed responsible.
At least 72 forest fires break out in one day
Yumaklı noted that a total of 72 fires broke out in forested and rural areas within one day, and as of the morning of August 17, 69 of them had been brought under control.
Throughout the night, firefighting teams and municipality employees fought forest fires in the Didim and Bozdoğan districts in Aydın, Ödemiş district in İzmir, the Milas district in Muğla, and Ovacık district in Karabük.
The separate wildfires have been continuing in Bolu province for three days and for four days in Manisa province.
In Gördes District of Manisa Province, the neighborhoods of Karayakup with 20 houses, and Yeniköy with 57 houses were evacuated yesterday. All houses in the Karayakup neighborhood were burnt down and became unusable. In the Salihli district, five neighborhoods were evacuated and some houses were affected by the fire.
Minister Yumaklı stated that two children started the fire in Ödemiş district while smoking in the grassy area and they were detained. Four people were also detained in connection with the fire in Bolu.
According to the Forestry Ministry, a total of 1,600 hectares were affected by the fires.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) stated that 3,583 people were evacuated for precautionary purposes in forest fires in Izmir, Aydın, Bolu, Muğla, and Manisa provinces.
According to NASA's data from the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), 941 hectares in Izmir, 1,498 hectares in Manisa, and 2,580 hectares in Bolu were affected by wildfires.
The Forestry Ministry underlined the need for caution due to low humidity, high temperatures, and strong winds, especially until 18 August, and noted that the alert status would continue until Sept. 15.