Türkiye continues to battle wildfires as experts warn of drifting ash

ISTANBUL

As wildfires tore through parts of Türkiye on July 25, experts cautioned that ash from the infernos can drift hundreds of kilometers and persist in the atmosphere for over a week, triggering significant health and environmental concerns in areas far beyond the fire zones.

Türkiye has been enduring intense heat waves recently, which have sparked numerous devastating wildfires across the country.

Due to the recent wildfires in the northwestern city of Bilecik and the western city of İzmir, the two cities were declared disaster zones, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on July 25.

In addition to the blazes in the northwest and western regions, wildfires broke out in the southern city of Antalya’s Aksu, Muratpaşa and Manavgat districts on July 25, prompting evacuations as flames approached residential areas.

In Mersin’s Anamur district, a fire that broke out earlier on July 25 was brought under control after aerial and ground interventions.

In Karabük, workers continued to battle two major wildfires for a third consecutive day on July 25. The blazes have prompted the evacuation of 14 villages, and damage has been reported to homes, barns and stables.

The wildfires have claimed 13 lives so far, with fatalities reported in the fires in Eskişehir and İzmir.

Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported that more than 2,600 residents have been evacuated due to recent wildfires.

The drifting particles from the forest fires, known as wildfire ashfall, have already reached largely non-affected cities such as the northwestern city of Bursa, where residents reported a visible layer of ash on cars and balconies, a smoky odor in the air and reduced visibility.

This recent ashfall in the city stems from wildfires that began in the neighboring city of Sakarya and later spread to the Bilecik province.

Similar effects are expected in other nearby provinces, including İstanbul, due to wildfires in several regions.

Professor Burak Arıcak, head of the Forest Engineering Department at Bursa Technical University, said harmful particles released from burning vegetation can travel vast distances through atmospheric conditions and wind.

“Depending on wind patterns, ash transport may last a week or even longer,” he explained.

Professor Yücel Taşdemir from Bursa Uludağ University noted that small particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and trigger or worsen respiratory illnesses such as asthma and COPD.

The expert described the spread of ash and particles to nearby provinces as normal and inevitable due to the wildfires, but warned residents to take precautions against potential negative health effects.