Turkey Fights Wildfires in Hot and Windy Weather

Turkey is facing many wildfires across the country. The fires are especially bad in the northwest, where villages had to be evacuated. The fight to control the flames is harder because of strong winds and very high temperatures.

According to the Presidential Communications Office, 84 wildfires started on the same day, July 26.

They said, “Most fires are now under control, but we are still cooling down some areas.”

Fires in Bursa

In the Bursa province, fires started in two different places on Saturday. Firefighters tried to stop them, but on Monday, the fires started again in some spots, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The hot weather and strong winds are making it very hard to stop the fires. So far, around 3,000 hectares of land have burned, and over 3,500 people have been evacuated, according to the Bursa municipality.

Bursa’s Mayor, Mustafa Bozbey, called it “one of the worst disasters in recent years.”
He said, “Our lungs are burning—not just our forests, but our hearts too.”

Lives Lost

• One firefighter died of a heart attack while fighting the fire.
• Three other people died when a water tanker going to help overturned.

Arson Suspected

Police are still investigating how the fire started in Bursa. On Monday, the Justice Minister said that a man was arrested after being found with a can of gasoline in his car near the forest. They suspect arson (setting fire on purpose).

Fires in Other Areas

• In Karabuk (north Turkey), the fire has been burning for six days in a rocky area. About 2,000 hectares have been burned.
• In Kahramanmaras (southeast Turkey), around 500 hectares of land has burned.

Experts Warn About Fire Safety

Fire safety expert Levent Yasa said stronger rules and punishments are needed to stop wildfires.
He said, “Even small things like throwing a cigarette or broken glass can cause big fires in hot, dry weather.”

President Responds

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is using all possible resources, both by air and on the ground, to fight the fires.
He praised the firefighters and emergency workers for their efforts.

Heatwave in Turkey

The fires are happening during a record-breaking heatwave.

• Temperatures are 6 to 12 degrees Celsius hotter than usual.
• On Sunday, the temperature crossed 40°C in 47 provinces.

• • On Friday, a new record was set in Silopi, in southeast Turkey, with temperatures above 50°C.