With the increasing temperatures in June, numerous forest fires have occurred, particularly in the Aegean, Mediterranean and Marmara regions.
According to information from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 3,733 hectares were damaged in 430 forest fires between June 1 and 23. Of these fires, 21 spread from agricultural lands where stubble was burned, damaging a total of 1,116 hectares of forest land, News.Az reports citing Daily Sabah.Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye, Ibrahim Yumaklı, announced that the intensity of the fire in Balıkesir Susurluk has been significantly reduced and that interventions in the fires in Izmir Selçuk and Menderes are ongoing. In his press statement at the fire crisis center in Selçuk, Izmir, Minister Yumaklı stated that on June 29, there were 11 high-risk fires of various sizes in seven provinces across Türkiye, six of which have been brought under control.
Fires in Çeşme and Torbalı, Izmir, on the west coast of Anatolia have been brought under control, while efforts continue to manage the fires in Selçuk and Menderes. Minister Yumaklı confirmed that the Selçuk-Kuşadası road is closed as a precaution, and no residential areas or facilities are at risk, although some people were affected by the smoke, there are no health threats.
In Çeşme, a fire broke out in a shrubland area yesterday due to a cigarette butt, security camera footage captured the moment an individual threw the cigarette butt and ran away, followed by two people running toward the flames, the District Gendarmerie Command reviewed the footage and identified the suspect, O.I., who is now in custody. The fire damaged around 50 hectares of land.
To control the fire, the Izmir Regional Forestry Directorate dispatched one plane, a helicopter, seven water tenders, and a water supply vehicle, the fire was successfully contained by the teams.
Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı stressed the importance of preventing fires before they start and highlighted the public's collective responsibility in achieving this goal. Addressing concerns about misinformation on social media, he clarified that claims about simultaneous fires in Kuşadası or Selçuk were untrue and emphasized the accuracy of official information. He underscored the coordinated efforts among government agencies and stressed that there were no weaknesses in their response. Minister Yumaklı emphasized unity and vigilance in fire prevention efforts, joined by Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Youth Branch General President and Izmir member of Parliament Eyyüp Kadir Inan.
In #Turkey, severe forest #fires have engulfed several regions of the #country.
— News.Az (@news_az) June 30, 2024
In the provinces of Izmir, #Canakkale, and Aydin, the population is being evacuated from some areas. Aviation, bulldozers, and thousands of firefighters are involved in the fight against the… pic.twitter.com/abW3hWrSAl
