Turkiye has brought 621 out of 624 wildfires under control over the past week, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı announced on Thursday, calling it one of the most intense wildfire periods in the country’s history, reads a Daily Sabah post.
Speaking from the General Directorate of Forestry’s Fire Management Center, Yumaklı reported that a total of 3,044 wildfires have occurred nationwide this year — 1,305 in forested areas and 1,739 in non-forested regions.
“This year, we are confronting fires with the largest air and ground response fleet in our republic’s history,” he said. The operation involves 25,000 trained personnel, with firefighting aircraft completing 16,035 sorties and dropping 52,000 tons of water since early summer.
Of the year’s total fires, nearly one-fifth erupted in just the past seven days. “Today alone, we faced nine major fires — six of which have already been contained,” the minister added.
Yumaklı confirmed that fires have been controlled in several areas, including Antalya, Mersin, Kırklareli, Silivri in Istanbul, Ceyhan in Adana, and Eşme in Uşak. The fire in Izmir’s Çeşme district has weakened, while the one in Ödemiş spread rapidly due to strong winds and remains active.
Tragically, one firefighter lost their life in the operations, another is hospitalized in critical condition, and an 81-year-old civilian also died in Ödemiş. “May God have mercy on them all,” Yumaklı said.
He noted that the General Directorate of Forestry ranks second only to Türkiye’s armed forces in the number of martyrs lost in service. “We honor their sacrifice and are determined to continue our mission,” he stated.
To bolster efforts in Izmir, the government has deployed 10 aircraft, 25 helicopters, fire trucks, and rapid response units with support from DSI, municipalities, and related agencies. Operations in Buca and Ödemiş are ongoing.
Yumaklı also warned against disinformation that could harm morale. “No one has the right to weaken the resolve of our firefighting teams. All 86 million citizens should support this superhuman effort.”
He urged the public to be extremely cautious as forecasts predict high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds. “We’re not proud of extinguishing fires — we want to be proud of preventing them.”
Large-scale fires were also reported this week in Sakarya, Hatay, Bilecik, Manisa, Istanbul, and Bursa. “Some of these blazes had the potential to mirror the scale of the devastating 2021 wildfires. But thanks to the strongest firefighting response in our history, we’ve seen strong results,” Yumaklı concluded.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
