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Fire grows in Soma, neighborhoods being evacuated

Following a fire that broke out in the Soma district of Manisa, another neighborhood has been evacuated. Firefighting efforts continue with the support of night-vision helicopters.

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A fire broke out in a forested area in the Deniş neighborhood of Manisa's Soma district. Due to the fire in the forested area in Soma, the Bayat neighborhood is also being evacuated as a precaution, following the rural Tekeli Işıklar neighborhood.

Upon notification, 1 aircraft, 2 helicopters, 10 fire trucks, 5 water supply vehicles, and 2 bulldozers belonging to the İzmir Regional Directorate of Forestry were dispatched to the region.

The Tekeli Işıklar neighborhood, which the fire was approaching, was evacuated as a precaution.

Soma District Governor Fatih Akkaya, who inspected the region, told reporters that the fire, which broke out at noon, had spread again due to very strong winds just as it was about to be brought under control.

Stating that citizens and animals were being removed from the Tekeli Işıklar neighborhood, Akkaya provided the following information:

"We do not foresee a life-threatening danger as of now. There are no barns or houses that have caught fire in the village. All teams are intervening to prevent it from jumping to the village. Hopefully, they will be successful, but the wind is blowing violently from every direction. We want to prevent the fire before it causes damage to our village."

WINDY WEATHER

Due to the flames spreading rapidly under the influence of strong winds, it was decided to evacuate the Bayat neighborhood as a precaution, following the Tekeli Işıklar neighborhood.

Soma Mayor Sercan Okur and Kırkağaç Mayor Üstün Dönmez are also monitoring the evacuation efforts.

Okur stated that they are inviting citizens to remain calm, saying, "Our teams are working intensively. Hopefully, it will be brought under control before it spreads further. However, the extremely windy weather is preventing the fire from being brought under control. So far, there has been no injury, loss of life, or property damage. I hope there won't be any from now on. I wish the neighborhood residents a speedy recovery."

On the other hand, it was stated that a night-vision helicopter belonging to the Regional Directorate of Forestry is also supporting the extinguishing efforts.

ELECTRICITY CUT AS A PRECAUTION

In a statement made by the Governor's Office, it was stated that the first intervention to the fire in the forested area in Deniş neighborhood was made by the teams at 12:28, and that the intervention continues with 16 aircraft, including 1 night-vision helicopter, 122 land vehicles, and 334 personnel.

Noting that the 90-household Tekeli Işıklar neighborhood and the 150-household Bayat neighborhood were evacuated as a precaution due to the fire, the statement included the following information:

"Necessary measures have been taken against the possibility of the fire spreading to the Çevircek neighborhood. Electricity has been cut in the region as a precaution. Intervention in the fire continues in the region, which is under the influence of winds reaching 40-60 km/h. There is no loss of life due to the fire. We kindly request all our citizens to be careful and cautious against fires."

BEEHIVES ALSO BURNED

In the fire, beehives containing bees belonging to Aydın Aydınlık, located in an olive grove in the upper region of the Tekeli Işıklar neighborhood, were also damaged. Stating that hundreds of bees died, Aydın Aydınlık said, “I was victimized by the fire. The fire, which grew with the effect of the wind, could not be stopped. I had 40 two-story beehives. 70 of my beehives were damaged. I have a loss between 100 and 150 thousand TL."