Wildfire in Turkey’s Izmir forces hundreds to evacuate

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Hundreds of people evacuated their homes in Turkey’s western city of Izmir as a massive wildfire, that has been raging since Thursday evening, touched residential areas.

Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu Agency reported that the fire that started in the Yamanlar Mountain in Izmir’s Karsiyaka district had spread to residential areas and industrial sites. The blaze resulted in the evacuation of several neighborhoods.

A total of 900 people evacuated their homes in five neighborhoods, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X. 

According to Anadolu, 16 houses were burned down in the fire, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said at least 87 houses and 45 businesses and offices had been emptied due to the looming danger of the fire.

Turkey's Disaster Management Authority (AFAD) said that 2,589 personnel, 258 vehicles and 1,218 construction machines have been dispatched to bring the fire under control.

Several firefighting teams were dispatched to the city, and the defense ministry announced that nine helicopters were mobilized to provide aerial support to extinguish the fire.

No casualties have yet been recorded, and efforts continue to bring the fire under control. 

Turkey has been hit with a string of wildfires over the past few days. Fahrettin Altun, head of communications for the Turkish presidency, said late Friday on X that a total of 72 fires broke out across the country, 45 of which were brought under control.

Another fire broke out on Thursday morning in Canakkale province, destroying around 700 hectares of forest, according to Yumakli, the fire was brought under control on Friday.

Wildfires in Turkey during the summer are a common occurrence. The blazes destroyed close to 7,000 hectares of forests in 2023, and over 8,100 hectares in 2022.

The largest wildfire in Turkey’s history, known as Manavgat Wildfire, started in July 2021 and lasted for more than two weeks. A total of 299 forests caught fire all over the country, resulting in eight deaths and over 1,500 people injured.