Forest fires affect three provinces simultaneously

Teams are responding by air and land to forest fires that have broken out in Çanakkale, Bolu, and Manisa. Due to the fire in Eceabat, Çanakkale, the 57th Infantry Regiment Memorial and Conkbayırı have been closed to visitors.

Two villages were evacuated due to the fire in Göynük, Bolu, and smoke has reached Eskişehir. The fire in Gördes, Manisa, is in its second day, and response efforts are ongoing.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Yumaklı announced that the fires are being fought with 14 aircraft, 31 helicopters, 265 vehicles, and 1,413 personnel.

FOREST FIRE IN ÇANAKKALE

The forest fire that broke out in the Eceabat district of Çanakkale is being fought by air and land. The fire started for an as-yet-undetermined reason in a wooded area near the village of Büyükanafarta on the historic Gallipoli Peninsula. After the fire was detected, teams from the Çanakkale Regional Directorate of Forestry were dispatched to the scene.

Teams reaching the area began aerial and ground suppression efforts to bring the fire under control. The Ministry of National Defense also announced that a military helicopter had been sent to the region to combat the flames.

In a statement, the Ministry said, "One S-70 type helicopter has been assigned by our 4th Army Aviation Regiment Command to intervene in the forest fire."

TEAMS EN ROUTE TO THE AREA INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT

Two forestry workers who were injured when their pickup truck, license plate 17 AAC 399, collided with a car while en route to the scene were taken to Eceabat State Hospital by 112 Emergency Health teams. It was learned that the general health condition of the injured is good.

FORESTRY WORKERS AFFECTED BY SMOKE

Some forestry workers affected by smoke were also taken to the same hospital for treatment. Gendarmerie teams distributed water to the workers fighting the fire.

57TH INFANTRY REGIMENT MEMORIAL AND CONKBAYIRI CLOSED

The 57th Infantry Regiment Memorial and the Conkbayırı area, located in the region where the Gallipoli Campaign took place, have been temporarily closed to visitors due to the fire. Due to the flames threatening the 57th Infantry Regiment Memorial, teams are trying to stop the progress of the fire by creating a firebreak. The teams' suppression efforts in the area are continuing.

GOVERNOR OF ÇANAKKALE: NO RISK TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS

Çanakkale Governor Ömer Toraman stated in a post on his social media account that the fire does not pose a risk to residential areas.

Stating that all teams, especially the forestry organization, are working diligently, Toraman shared the information: "The forest fire is being fought from the air with 8 aircraft and 12 helicopters, and from the ground with 51 water tenders and 780 personnel."

In a statement made by the Provincial Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), it was reported that support in terms of vehicles and personnel was provided from surrounding provinces and districts, in addition to public institutions and organizations, to combat the fire. The statement announced that there is no situation in residential areas that would require evacuation due to the fire. The teams' suppression efforts in the area are continuing.

MINISTER YUMAKLI: I CAN SAY THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING VERY WELL

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı said regarding the ongoing forest fire on the historic Gallipoli Peninsula, "There is no risk to residential areas. Our Governor's Office has also taken the necessary precautions together with our other law enforcement agencies. Thank God, it was stopped with the necessary intervention before reaching the 57th Infantry Regiment Memorial. I would especially like to state that no structures were damaged in Conkbayırı. Our intervention will continue throughout the night, but as of now, I can say that everything is going very well. Hopefully, I will give much better news tomorrow morning."

The forest fire, which started at 09:51 near the village of Büyükanafarta in the Eceabat district of Çanakkale, continues. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, who followed the fire in front of the General Directorate of Forestry Fire Management Vehicle stationed at the Çanakkale Epic Promotion Center, made a statement regarding the latest situation of the fire. Çanakkale Governor Ömer Toraman, General Director of Forestry Bekir Karacabey, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Senior Colonel Sadi Akman, and Çanakkale Wars Gallipoli Historical Site President İsmail Kaşdemir were present during the statement.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı said, "In the statement I made in the evening, I said that we had intervened in 42 fires in Turkey today, 19 of which were forest fires and 23 of which were rural area fires. From that hour until now, with the additions, as of today, a total of 63 fires have broken out across the country, 33 of which are forest fires and 30 of which are rural. We currently have only 3 active fires. Our friends have intervened and extinguished 60 of them. The Çanakkale-Eceabat Büyükanafarta fire we are currently in started at 09:51 in the morning, and the first intervention was made within 3 minutes. However, it spread rapidly due to very strong winds. With the darkness of the night, our ground teams are continuing their interventions by reinforcing them with the interventions made during the day. There is no risk to residential areas. Our Governor's Office has already taken the necessary precautions together with our other law enforcement agencies. Thank God, it was stopped with the necessary intervention before reaching the 57th Infantry Regiment Memorial. I would especially like to state that no structures were damaged in Conkbayırı. Our intervention will continue throughout the night, but as of now, I can say that everything is going very well. Hopefully, I will give much better news tomorrow morning. The second fire was the Bekirfakılar fire in Göynük, Bolu. This occurred at 12:41. The first intervention was made at 12:56. Here, too, the fire spread very rapidly due to the very low humidity and the wind blowing at 68 kilometers per hour. However, I can say that the work there is also going very well. Our friends are currently continuing their intervention there. There is no problem with residential areas in Bolu either. Necessary precautions have been taken. There is no risk. I mentioned Manisa Gördes. There was also a very serious wind there. Our interventions continue both from the air and from the ground. Thank God, a wind speed of nearly 70 kilometers per hour was detected there as well. This fire is also going quite well. In summary, I would like to say that there is a process moving towards the better in all 3 ongoing fires. As I said, I hope to share with you tomorrow that these 3 fires have ended by giving good news."

Thanking the forest heroes who fought with all their might during the struggle against the fires, and the public institutions, organizations, and local governments that were right by their side, Minister Yumaklı continued his words as follows:

"I had a statement I made during the day, and I want to repeat it. Tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday, meteorological data indicate that in the part of Turkey from Çanakkale to the Mediterranean, and of course we are on alert in other parts as well, we have done our risk analysis, but there is a very serious drop in humidity, very high-intensity wind, and an air temperature that will truly affect us all in the section from Çanakkale to the Mediterranean. Therefore, we all need to show very serious sensitivity here. I especially state that, so to speak, outside of closed areas, outside the house, or in whatever environment we are in, no fire should be lit, or no action should be taken that would result in fire. I said it during the day, let me repeat it. We have declared a mobilization for these 3 days. Hopefully, we will get through this process comfortably. In our world, where we feel the effect of climate change very seriously every day, our country, especially in the Mediterranean basin, naturally requires us to struggle with the abundance of fire-sensitive regions. However, the most important element of this struggle is the support that our very valuable citizens will give us. I once again wish a speedy recovery to all our provinces where fires have broken out, and to Çanakkale, Manisa, and Bolu, where the fires are currently ongoing but are going well, and where we can say they are going well. As I said, I wish you a good evening, hoping to give very good news tomorrow."

FIRE ALSO BROKE OUT IN BOLU

Efforts are being made to extinguish the fire that broke out in a wooded area in the Göynük district of Bolu. The fire started in a wooded area near the village of Bekirfakılar. Upon notification, numerous fire brigade teams and water tenders from Bolu and Sakarya were dispatched to the region. The teams started work to extinguish the fire. It was learned that aerial support was also requested for the suppression efforts.

TWO VILLAGES EVACUATED

Due to the fire increasing in intensity, an evacuation decision was made for Yeniköy and Seferler Village in the Göynük district. While the villages were being evacuated by the teams, the citizens were taken to a safe area.

SMOKE FROM THE FIRE IN BOLU REACHED ESKİŞEHİR

The smoke caused by the fire that broke out in the wooded area near the village of Bekirfakılar and where suppression efforts are ongoing reached the city center of Eskişehir. The large-scale layer of smoke was visible from many points of the city. Due to the smoke, darkness formed in a part of the sky. On the other hand, it was learned that preparations were made in Eskişehir for logistical support and refueling for the aircraft that could be used in the fire suppression efforts.

FIRE IN MANISA IN ITS SECOND DAY

The forest fire in Manisa has entered its second day. The fire broke out yesterday around 14:30 in the forest near the Boyalı neighborhood of the Gördes district. Upon notification, teams affiliated with the İzmir Regional Directorate of Forestry were dispatched to the region. The fire was intervened from the air and land with 2 aircraft, 3 helicopters, 8 water tenders, 2 water supply vehicles, 1 bulldozer, and 1 ground team.

SECOND FIRE BROKE OUT

While the situation was improving in the fire, a second forest fire broke out in the same region around 17:15. Reinforcements were made to the teams. The struggle against the fire continued with 5 aircraft, 13 helicopters, 45 water tenders, 15 water supply vehicles, 4 bulldozers, and 4 ground teams. With the darkness of the night, the intervention to the fire continued until the morning hours with a night-vision helicopter. With the first light of the morning, the intervention to the fire continues from the air and land.

FIRE UNDER CONTROL IN EDİRNE

A fire broke out yesterday around 15:00 in the forest between the villages of Tevfikiye and İbriktepe in İpsala. With the effect of the wind, the flames grew in a short time. Keşan Forestry Management and İpsala Municipality Fire Department teams were dispatched to the region. The forest fire was brought under control in about 2.5 hours with aerial and ground intervention. It was stated that 200 decares of forest were damaged in the fire, where cooling efforts are continuing.

FIRE PANIC IN BOZCAADA

In the Bozcaada district of Çanakkale, a fire broke out yesterday in an agricultural field for an as-yet-undetermined reason. Upon the situation being noticed by those around, fire brigade teams affiliated with the Bozcaada Municipality were sent to the scene. The fire spread to the surrounding wooded area with the effect of the wind. Teams affiliated with the Çanakkale Regional Directorate of Forestry continued the work they started to bring the fire under control from the air with 5 helicopters and 5 aircraft, and from the ground with numerous vehicles and 104 personnel. Citizens also supported the efforts with water tankers. The fire was brought under control as a result of the coordinated work of the teams. In the fire, 12 hectares of forest area and 18 hectares of agricultural land were damaged.