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Fire in İzmir approaches residential areas: Urgent call from the municipality

The fire in İzmir's Karşıyaka district broke out at 9:10 PM yesterday in a forested area in the Karatepe location of Yamanlar Mountain. Karşıyaka Municipality issued a call for water tankers and heavy machinery regarding the fire, which is approaching residential areas.

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As the fire in İzmir has been ongoing for 22 hours, the flames have spread to houses. Strong winds in the region have caused the flames to grow even larger.

The flames also reached the industrial site in Karşıyaka. Some houses in three neighborhoods were evacuated. Some homes and vehicles were damaged in the fire. Smoke has covered the city center.

AIRCRAFT COULD NOT INTERVENE

Due to winds reaching speeds of approximately 80 kilometers per hour during the daytime, aerial vehicles were unable to intervene in the fire for a period. Despite the intervention of ground crews, the fire spread to an area that is largely scrubland.

HOUSES WERE EVACUATED

Some houses in the Doğançay and Sancaklı neighborhoods of Karşıyaka district and the Onur neighborhood of Bayraklı district, as well as an animal shelter in the region, were evacuated. Roads leading to the areas where the fire is located were closed to traffic, and the gendarmerie and police took security measures.

After a while, the flames reached the Örnekköy Industrial Site. The fire spread to many shops here, including a recycling factory, marble, cable, and wood businesses, and a furniture workshop.

After the wind intensity decreased in the afternoon, aerial vehicles began working again. Helicopters and planes are dropping water on the area where the flames are concentrated.

The fire continues in forested areas on the borders of Karşıyaka, Bayraklı, and Çiğli districts, as well as in some residential areas and the industrial site. Some houses and vehicles near the forested areas were damaged due to the spreading fire.

In addition to forestry teams, municipalities, police, AFAD, and gendarmerie personnel are supporting the firefighting efforts with their vehicles.

URGENT CALL FROM KARŞIYAKA MUNICIPALITY

As the fire approached houses, a call was made from the municipality's social media account, which included the following statements:

"Urgent! We call on all companies that have water tankers and heavy machinery ready for use to support our struggle to intervene in the ongoing fire in Karşıyaka."

FIRE SPREAD TO TOKI HOUSES

In İzmir's Karşıyaka, the flames spread to the Örnekköy TOKİ Houses.

FIRE ALSO BROKE OUT IN ÖDEMİŞ DISTRICT

Following the forest fire that spread to houses and workplaces in İzmir's Karşıyaka district, another fire broke out in the Ödemiş district. The fire that started in a forested area is being intervened in from the air and on the ground.

While interventions continue for the fire that started in İzmir's Karşıyaka district yesterday evening and grew under the influence of strong winds, news of another forest fire came from the Ödemiş district.

The first intervention for the forest fire that broke out at 3:30 PM in the Pirinçci neighborhood of Ödemiş district was made at 4:02 PM. The fire is being intervened in with 1 plane, 2 helicopters, 6 water tenders, and 1 water supply team belonging to the İzmir Regional Directorate of Forestry.

Efforts to bring the fires under control are ongoing.

MINISTER YUMAKLI EXPLAINED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that the fire in İzmir's Karşıyaka district was caused by a fire lit by 3 people for a picnic.

6 PEOPLE DETAINED, 3 PEOPLE SOUGHT

Announcing that the search for 3 people regarding the fires in İzmir is ongoing, Yumaklı stated that 2 people were detained in Ödemiş and 4 in Bolu.

Stating that no sabotage was detected regarding the cause of the fires, Yumaklı said, "If there is any finding, our Governorship will announce it."

Finally, Minister Yumaklı pointed out that there is no element threatening residential areas.

SMOKE COVERED İZMİR CITY CENTER

As efforts to bring the fire under control were prolonged due to strong winds, the smoke from the flames covered the city center. A forest fire had also broken out on Yamanlar Mountain on August 13, and the flames were extinguished in 21.5 hours.

ÜMİT ÖZDAĞ SHARED A VIDEO FROM İZMİR BAYRAKLI

Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ went to İzmir's Bayraklı and inspected the area affected by the fire. In a live broadcast from the region, Özdağ also received information about the latest situation from an AFAD volunteer.

TUGAY: WE EXPLAINED BUT COULD NOT CONVINCE

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay stated that aerial firefighting was not sufficient and that no helicopters were working during the night hours. Speaking on a live broadcast on CNN Türk, Tugay said, "We explained that this risk would occur, but we could not convince them. Sufficient aerial firefighting was not done. Currently, no helicopter is working. There is no work other than our fire department. There were a few aerial vehicles during the day."

Tugay spoke as follows: "The fire continues, flaring up in places; it has not been completely extinguished. Except for the roof of one building, there is no situation in the buildings, but they were evacuated as a precaution. Everything is under control right now. We have dozens of our vehicles here. If the wind increases, if the forest fire flares up again and threatens residential areas, we are evaluating that; this possibility exists.

We have more than 700 personnel here, we have friends who came as volunteers. Almost the entire municipality is here. The fire trucks cannot enter the forest, that is the problem. They can spray water as far as they can reach. In other areas, there are vehicles of the Regional Directorate of Forestry. Or they are extinguishing from the air, but aerial firefighting was not enough.

What we see today is that aerial firefighting is not enough... We explained that this risk would occur, but we could not convince them. Sufficient aerial firefighting was not done. Currently, no helicopter is working. There is no work other than our fire department. There were a few aerial vehicles during the day."

MINISTER YERLİKAYA ANNOUNCED THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS EVACUATED DUE TO THE FIRE IN İZMİR

Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya announced that 800 citizens in Karşıyaka district and 100 citizens in Bayındır district were evacuated under the coordination of AFAD, the gendarmerie, and the police because the fire in İzmir threatened residential areas.

Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya, in a statement on his social media account, said, "Intervention efforts for the forest fires in İzmir are continuing without interruption. Because the fire in Karşıyaka district threatened residential areas, under the coordination of our AFAD, gendarmerie, and police; a total of 800 citizens, 170 in Sancaklı neighborhood, 500 in Doğançay neighborhood, 50 in Zübeyde neighborhood, and 80 in Onur neighborhood, and 100 citizens in Bayındır district were evacuated. I offer my best wishes to our citizens affected by the fire."

MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT CITIZENS AFFECTED BY THE FIRE

The Ministry of Health announced that 78 people were affected by the forest fire in İzmir and that the treatment of 29 people is ongoing.

In the statement made by the Ministry of Health, it was said, "78 people were affected by the forest fire in İzmir. The treatment of 29 people continues in our hospitals. We wish our citizens a speedy recovery. 10 ambulances, 3 UMKE teams, and 42 health personnel have been assigned to the region. We convey our best wishes to all our citizens affected by the fire."

POST FROM VICE PRESIDENT YILMAZ REGARDING THE FIRE IN İZMİR:

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz conveyed his best wishes to the citizens affected by the forest fire in İzmir.

Yılmaz used the following expressions in his post on his social media account:

"I convey my best wishes to all our citizens affected by the forest fire in İzmir. I wish ease to all our officials, especially our forestry organization, who are fighting selflessly to bring the fire under control. May God protect our country and our nation from all kinds of disasters."

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORATE: AERIAL AND GROUND INTERVENTION CONTINUES FOR FOREST FIRES IN İZMİR

The Presidential Communications Directorate announced that aerial and ground intervention continues for the forest fires in İzmir.

The Communications Directorate, in a post on the social media site X, said, "Aerial and ground intervention continues for the forest fires in İzmir. In addition to forestry teams, efforts are continuing without interruption through AFAD, police, gendarmerie, fire departments, and municipalities.

While the Ministry of National Defense supports the efforts from the air, the intervention continues with 5 planes, 15 helicopters, 46 water tenders, 10 water supply vehicles, 4 bulldozers, and 4 ground teams. The fires have not yet been brought under control due to the effect of strong winds."

İMAMOĞLU: OUR IBB FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SETTING OFF FOR İZMİR

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu said in a statement on his X account, "We are following with concern the fire that started in İzmir Karşıyaka and spread. Our IBB Fire Department, which took part in extinguishing the fire in Çanakkale, is now setting off for İzmir. Our wish is for the fire to be extinguished as soon as possible. Get well soon, İzmir."

BLACK CLOUDS OF AYDIN AND MİLAS FIRE REACHED MENTEŞE

The clouds of the forest fire that started in the Bozdoğan district of Aydın and the Beçin neighborhood of Milas district in Muğla and are still ongoing have reached Menteşe, the central district of Muğla.

While efforts to extinguish the fire that started in the Bozdoğan district of Aydın and the Beçin neighborhood of Milas district in Muğla continue, the fire continues its effect with the influence of the wind. The effect of the forest fire, for which aerial intervention ended with the darkening of the sky, reached Menteşe. In Menteşe, the central district of Muğla, black fire clouds covered the sky after dark.

While the sky took on a frightening appearance, black fire clouds are moving from Muğla towards the Mediterranean.

AYDIN GOVERNOR CANBOLAT: IT SPREAD TO A WIDE AREA WITH THE EFFECT OF THE WIND

Aydın Governor Yakup Canbolat, who came to the forest fire region in Bozdoğan district, stated in his explanation that the flames spread to a wide area due to the wind, and announced that our state continues to fight the fire with all its resources.

In his statement, Governor Canbolat said; “There were two major fires that started in our province today around noon. And we are currently facing a fire that started at 4:45 PM in our Bozdoğan Alhisar region and spread rapidly to the region with the effect of the wind, spreading to a wide area. The burned area is mainly a forested region. 3 helicopters and 2 planes intervened in the region today.

With the darkening of the sky, a night-vision helicopter will continue to work until morning. In addition, 38 vehicles and 147 personnel of our Regional Directorate of Forestry are currently fighting in the region. 15 personnel, three ambulances, one UMKE team, and one UMKE Medical Intervention Vehicle of our health directorate are on duty in the region. 74 personnel and 16 vehicles from our gendarmerie are on duty.

9 vehicles and 35 personnel of our Metropolitan Municipality are also on duty in the region. As of now, we have evacuated 45 people in our Örmepınar Neighborhood due to the approach of the fire. Evacuation efforts for the remaining citizens are continuing. From the early hours of the morning, we will continue an effective struggle regarding the intervention in the fire with all the resources of our state. The fire is not under control; it is spreading due to the wind. We hope that we will surround and bring the fire under control in a short time.”

FIRE IN ÇEŞME BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL

A fire also broke out in agricultural land in the Çeşme district of İzmir. It was brought under control as of 12:00 PM with a 7-hour intervention from the air and on the ground. Cooling efforts continue in the region.