The blaze broke out in villages bordering Diyarbakir (Amed) and Mardin provinces on Thursday. The fire was brought under control hours later. Five people were initially reported dead.
Fahrettin Koca, health minister, said in a post on X on Friday that the death toll has risen to 11 people, adding that 78 others were “affected” by the fire.
The fire was brought under control at around 10:15 p.m. local time, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
State media Anadolu Agency reported that the fire broke out in the area between Diyarbakir’s Cinar district and Mardin’s Mazidagi district. The farmers were burning stubble when the blaze became uncontrollable due to the wind.
The practice includes setting fire to the remaining straw stubble after a harvest. It is preferred over other pest and weed removal techniques because it is cheaper and easier to implement. This method is used in agriculture worldwide.
