Efforts continue to contain wildfires across Türkiye, as residents evacuate
ANKARA
Firefighting teams are working to bring multiple forest fires under control in several provinces, with significant progress reported by authorities in battling the flames.
According to Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, blazes in the western provinces of Çanakkale’s Ezine, Edirne’s Enez and Manisa’s Şehzadeler, as well as the southern province Hatay’s Yayladağı district, are now fully contained.
Fires in the northern province of Bolu’s Mudurnu, the southern city of Kahramanmaraş’s Göksun, Çanakkale’s Ayvacık and the western city of İzmir’s Dikili are largely contained, while efforts continue in Çanakkale’s central district, Yumaklı announced on Aug. 12.
He stressed that the fight to protect Türkiye’s “green homeland” will continue relentlessly with combined air and ground operations.
In Manisa’s Soma district, a fire that began at a tennis court construction site due to sparks from a metal-cutting machine spread rapidly to forested areas. The Kozanlı neighborhood was evacuated as a precaution and two suspects were detained. Aerial firefighting paused overnight and resumed at first light.
In Yayladağı, Hatay, a fire that broke out in the Göndek village area was fought with four helicopters, 30 fire trucks and over 200 personnel from multiple agencies. Authorities said it was caused by sparks from a combine harvester. Two suspects were taken into custody.
A fire starting near Güzelyalı village spread to Çınarlı and Erenköy in the Kepez district of Çanakkale. A major operation involving 10 planes, nine helicopters, 10 bulldozers and over 750 personnel continues.
A total of 2,090 residents from Güzelyalı, Halileli and Erenköy were evacuated. Several villas were destroyed, but residents began returning to areas where flames had subsided. Seventy-seven individuals were treated for smoke inhalation, with no cases reported as critical.
Maritime evacuation operations were also carried out, with 84 people rescued by the coast guard and Transport and Infrastructure Ministry vessels, while others were transported via commercial ferries from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University’s Dardanos campus.
In Ayvacık, work continued for a second day on Aug. 12 to fully extinguish a landfill fire that spread to nearby forest areas.
Officials reported that cooling operations are underway in all contained fire zones to prevent reignition. Emergency teams remain on high alert as hot, dry and windy conditions persist in several regions.
