Türkiye brings 55 wildfires under control as one blaze still burns in Bursa

Türkiye’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, has provided a comprehensive update on the country’s efforts to combat a recent wave of forest fires, which have swept across multiple regions in recent days.

Speaking to the public, Yumaklı emphasised the scale of the emergency and detailed the response measures underway.

According to information shared by Turkish media, Yumaklı confirmed that five significant fires across four provinces—Karabük, Uşak, Antalya, and Bursa—have been successfully brought under control. In total, he said, 55 fires erupted across Türkiye in the past 24 hours alone.

“One of the more dangerous fires broke out in the Kahyalar neighbourhood, just seven kilometres from the Karabük-Safranbolu fire. We’ve managed to completely contain it,” Yumaklı said. “Another major blaze erupted in the Millipark area of Banaz, in Uşak province, which has also now been fully extinguished.” He noted that intense aerial and ground interventions have been sustained without interruption.

Fires in Karabük-Safranbolu, Antalya-Gazipaşa, and Bursa-Kestel were among those being monitored most closely due to the risks they posed, but all have now been contained. Yumaklı confirmed that cooling operations are currently underway across all previously affected zones.

“Thanks to the efforts of our firefighting teams, we have brought all 55 fires under control,” he said. “In four provinces, five major fires have been suppressed. Now, our focus is on ensuring the affected areas are fully secured and cooled.”

Only one fire remains active in the country, in the Harmancık district of Bursa. The minister explained that firefighting efforts in this region have been hampered by poor weather conditions, including heavy fog, thick smoke, and strong winds.

“For the past few days, dense fog and smoke in the mornings and high winds in the afternoons have limited aerial interventions and delayed containment,” Yumaklı said. “This morning was no different. But as soon as conditions improved, we ramped up aerial firefighting efforts. Ground teams have been working continuously, day and night.”

According to the minister, the fire zone in Harmancık is now fully encircled. Access roads have been cleared, and fire trucks have been deployed strategically. “We currently have five planes, 30 helicopters, and 855 ground vehicles engaged in the operation,” Yumaklı stated, expressing hope that the fire will be fully brought under control within the day.

Yumaklı also took the opportunity to issue a public warning, urging citizens to remain cautious. “As I said yesterday, we are still in a period of high fire risk. Let’s not lower our guard. Avoid lighting fires outdoors, and report any sign of smoke or flames immediately to 112.”

In parallel to the firefighting operations, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that legal proceedings have been launched against 97 individuals in 33 of Türkiye’s 81 provinces in connection with the fires. The government has declared disaster areas in two western provinces—İzmir and Bilecik.

In a tense incident on July 27, a crowd gathered outside a police station in the village of Harmancık, after learning that a suspected arsonist had been detained there. The angry group demanded that the suspect be handed over to them. Authorities dispersed the crowd after assuring them that a thorough investigation would be carried out.

By Tamilla Hasanova