Important warning from Minister Yumaklı: We are on high alert

A fire broke out in a forested area in the village of Bekirfakılar yesterday around 12:30 PM. Numerous fire crews, water tenders, bulldozers, and helicopters were dispatched to the region from Bolu and surrounding provinces. The efforts initiated by the teams to extinguish the fire have been ongoing for hours.

Due to the fire, it was decided to evacuate 281 citizens as a precaution in the Ayvatlar neighborhood of Yeniköy and Bekirfakılar villages, and the Seferler neighborhood of Çaylak village. By the evening hours, the fire was being fought with 118 water tenders, 7 pieces of heavy equipment, and 9 helicopters. During the night, helicopters suspended aerial operations.

Aerial intervention began in the early hours of the morning with 11 helicopters arriving in the region. Helicopters continue to draw water from Sünnet Lake, located approximately 10 kilometers from the area where the fire broke out, and spray it onto the flames. While the teams' intervention continues, it is believed that the cause of the fire was stubble burning. The Göynük-Nallıhan road has been closed to traffic as a precaution due to the forest fire.

"MAKES INTERVENTION VERY DIFFICULT"

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, who came to the region to inspect the fire, received information from officials. In his statement, Minister Yumaklı said, "In the briefing we gave from Çanakkale this morning, I had said that the fire was brought under control.

Another major fire that started yesterday is the one we are currently in, which broke out in Göynük. In a very short time, it has reached a size that will affect a 30-kilometer area for now. Despite having deployed significant forces, the vastness of the area, its rugged terrain, the presence of ravines, and steep cliffs make intervention very difficult.

Currently, there are 11 helicopters, 118 land vehicles, and 601 personnel, and other institutions and organizations are also supporting us. The intervention continued throughout the night and has continued throughout the day. It will continue throughout this night. It is truly a very large area. Unfortunately, it is a scattered form of intervention. Of course, our friends are achieving results as they go. Thank God, we have no loss of life. The Ayvatlar neighborhood, Umurlar, Yeniköy, and Seferler neighborhood have been evacuated as a precaution. Again, as a precaution, the Göynük-Nallıhan Road has been closed to traffic," he said.

FIRES IN IZMIR

Reminding that a fire also broke out in Yamanlar, İzmir, yesterday at 9:10 PM, Minister Yumaklı said, "We dealt with that throughout the night, and as a result of those interventions, we had brought it to a certain level of low energy. At 10:14 AM this morning, a new fire broke out 2 kilometers away from this fire. This was also intervened in within 4 minutes. Two fires close to each other. We are working to bring it under control with 4 tanker planes, 15 helicopters, 70 land vehicles, and approximately 450 personnel. Here, too, very strong winds have occasionally hindered our work.

The fact that the fires in the Yamanlar area were very close to residential areas initially caused us to deploy very intensively to these locations.

Thank God, there is no loss of life. However, 16 houses burned down, 87 houses were evacuated, and 44 workplaces were cleared. Again, here too, our Governorship, General Directorate of Forestry, AFAD, relevant institutions, and local governments are all working intensively together. We have a 3rd fire in İzmir. It occurred in Beydağ at 3:36 PM. Again, the first intervention here was made 6 minutes later. We dispatched 3 planes and one helicopter here as well. Unfortunately, this is also a fire that started in a rural area and spread to the forest area," he said.

"WE ARE HERE UNTIL THE FIRE IS EXTINGUISHED"

Pointing out that the causes of the fires are being investigated by law enforcement, Minister İbrahim Yumaklı continued his words as follows:

"The Governorship will make the necessary statement regarding this. Again, I mentioned this morning that there was a fire in Gördes, Manisa, and that we had significantly reduced its energy. However, meteorological conditions have changed. A very unstable and strong wind has started again. There has been an increase in its energy again. Our friends are continuing their intensive efforts to bring this under control as well. Apart from these, our fight against many fires, whether reflected in the public eye or not, continues. So far today, across the country, including forest and rural fires—I am not even mentioning the small ones—about 47 fires have broken out. 30 of them have been brought under control. Our interventions continue for 17 of them. I only told you about the big ones. Among these fires, there was a fire that broke out at 12:56 PM in Ak Yeniköy, Didim, Aydın, which has the potential to grow. The first intervention for this was made at 1:05 PM. We dispatched 3 planes, 5 helicopters, 27 land vehicles, and 155 personnel. Again, this fire is also a fire that started in a rural area and unfortunately spread to the forest area. I wish all our citizens affected by all these fires a speedy recovery. We will be here; we are here until the fire is extinguished."

"ALL RELEVANT INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE ON HIGH ALERT"

Drawing attention to malicious disinformation, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı said, "We choose to fight the fire instead of fighting them. However, these disinformation efforts, which truly hinder our work or increase sensitivity in the public, are of no benefit to anyone who loves this country. I especially request from our citizens not to rely on any statement or news from anyone other than the statements made by us or official institutions.

Even if it is a repetition, let us repeat another warning we have made since yesterday. For today, tomorrow, Sunday, and even the entire coming week, our friends at the General Directorate of Meteorology have informed us that there is a very high risk level. As the forestry organization, we are on high alert. All relevant institutions and organizations are on high alert.

However, I would like to remind my very valuable citizens of one thing here. That is this: no matter what we do, we cannot be successful in any way without your help. Why? The fire that created the images we are currently in and that none of us would want to see, unfortunately, occurred due to the burning of stubble in a field.

The relevant individuals have been detained regarding this. We all need to think again about what a simple thing can cost. Please, at least for a week, do not light any fires outside of enclosed areas. If possible, do not create any environment that could cause a fire to start. I wish all our citizens a speedy recovery again; we will continue these briefings over time. Beware of disinformation. Please take into account our statements and the statements of official institutions," he said.