PodcastNew fire in Aegean Bodrum threatens settlement areas
A new fire broke out in the Aegean holiday resort of Bodrum on Aug. 10, where firefighters and firefighting planes raced against time to contain the blaze. The flames have been advancing towards settlements areas in the neighborhoods of Dereköy, Gümüşlük and Peksimet, with media outlets saying that authorities have evacuated some of the houses as a precautionary measure.
Duvar English - As fire crews continued to battle multiple blazes in the Aegean province of Muğla on Aug. 10, a new fire broke out in the holiday resort of Bodrum.
The fire started in a maquis shrubland between the neighborhoods of Dereköy and Gümüşük at around 3 p.m., and spread quickly with the effect of the wind.
The firefighting teams have been battling the flames before they reach the settlement areas.
Bodrum municipal council member Numan Cömert told reporters that the municipality is on constant alarm due to days-long fires in the district.
“As the municipality, we are now on full alert all the time. Our firefighting teams and voluntary citizens have grown tired. But as you see, everyone, including volunteers, is on the field. Everyone is struggling to extinguish the fire. This nature belongs to all of us,” he said.
“There is now a big plane and three normal size firefighting planes. They are all intervening. As you see, there is intervention both from the air and land, but the worst thing is that the temperature is very high and the winds are blowing to the north and the fire is advancing towards the north,” he said.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli also commented on the ongoing fire in Bodrum, saying: "A fire has broke out today in Gümüşlük in an area outside the forest. There was a quick intervention. Aerial and ground efforts to extinguish the fire continue."