Fire whirl captured amid raging blaze in northwestern Türkiye

BİLECİK

A large-scale forest fire that broke out in Türkiye’s northwestern city of Sakarya has spread to the neighboring province of Bilecik, with intense flames creating a rare fire whirl and prompting evacuations.

A fire that started in Sakarya’s Geyve district on July 20 spread to Bilecik’s Osmaneli district, where video footage captured swirling flames forming a vortex-like column reaching into the sky—a rare phenomenon known as a fire whirl.

The footage, shared by General Director of Forestry Bekir Karacabey, underscored the scale and volatility of the blaze.

Four villages in Bilecik and two in Sakarya were evacuated due to the forest fire.

A highway, which connects Sakarya and Bilecik, was closed in both directions due to the approaching fire, causing heavy traffic congestion.

Vehicles were redirected to an old road.

Authorities also evacuated a roadside restaurant and a fuel station as a precaution.

According to the Türkiye’s national disaster management agency AFAD, six aircraft, 12 helicopters and 195 land vehicles and 871 personnel were actively engaged in firefighting efforts.

Teams from multiple public agencies, accredited NGOs and local volunteers also worked under the national disaster response plan to contain the fire.

Meanwhile, in Bilecik’s Gölpazarı district, a separate fire that began in a farm's hay storage area quickly spread, destroying part of the facility and killing 95 small livestock.

The flames then reached nearby forested land. Firefighters and forestry teams, assisted by local residents using water tanks and tractors, tirelessly battled the flames.