Firefighters in Turkiye have brought two immense forest fires under control after three days, and numerous additional wildfires around the nation are anticipated to be extinguished shortly, the Forestry Minister said on Sunday.
On August 15, a forest fire ignited in Turkiye and rapidly spread to nearby residential areas, driven by strong winds. Efforts to contain the blaze involved a coordinated response, including 5 planes, 15 helicopters, 46 water tenders, 10 water supplies, 4 dozers, and 4 ground crews from the Izmir Regional Directorate of Forestry. However, aircraft interventions were temporarily halted due to winds reaching up to 80 kilometers per hour during the day, which complicated firefighting efforts. Despite the deployment of ground teams, the fire continued to spread, particularly affecting scrubland areas. Earlier in the year, during the "2024 Forest Fire Combat Preparation Meeting" on May 9, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, stated that the air fleet had been equipped with 26 planes, 105 helicopters, and 14 UAVs to combat such incidents. The limited number of active aircraft, despite the extensive resources announced two months prior, has led to public outrage. Minister of the Interior Ali Yerlikaya reported on social media that approximately 3583 people had been evacuated as a result of the wildfires.
Interventions to contain the fire have been ongoing for three days since it ignited in the forested Karatepe area, spreading to residential zones and an industrial site. The spread prompted the evacuation of three neighborhoods.
While various news sources reported that 26 of the 72 fires that broke out across Turkiye were still active, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumaklı clarified the situation, stating, “There were 72 fires, 69 of which are currently under control. Six fires remain active.” Residents state, “The entire city of Izmir is covered in smoke, and ashes are falling.” Yumaklı said that the fire has moved away from the city and there is no danger. According to NASA Fire Map data, 941 hectares in Izmir, 1,498 hectares in Manisa, and 2,580 hectares in Bolu—a total of 5,019 hectares of land—were affected by the fire. Based on AFAD's statement, 3,583 people were evacuated as a precaution in the forest fires in Izmir, Aydin, Bolu, Muğla, and Manisa.
However, the inability to control the fires within 48 hours has sparked public criticism, particularly on social media platforms like Twitter, where claims of a late response to the fires in Izmir have spread rapidly. Many users have expressed frustration, arguing that the efforts to contain the fires have been inadequate, leading to widespread public concern.
The Presidency’s Disinformation Combat Center (DMM) has released several statements labeling accusations of “inadequate addressing of the fire” as disinformation. The DMM confirmed that firefighting efforts are ongoing, with 5 planes, 11 helicopters, 127 water tenders, and 2,965 personnel, with efforts continuing to contain the remaining 27 fires. The DMM emphasized that all relevant agencies are working in coordination and urged the public to remain vigilant against disinformation.
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