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Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry reported that 85 wildfires over the weekend were extinguished before spreading. Authorities said 49 of the fires were caused by negligence, 10 by accidents, and 2 were intentionally set.
The fires occurred on Aug 23-24 across several provinces, including Istanbul, Denizli, Balikesir, Elazig, Mugla, Izmir, Sanliurfa, Sakarya, Kocaeli, and Amasya. Thirty-six of the fires were in forests, while 49 occurred in non-forest areas. Rapid intervention from ministry teams prevented the flames from reaching residential areas and large forested zones.
Dozens of fire trucks, water tankers, planes, and helicopters were deployed to contain the blazes.
Bekir Karacabey, Director General of Forestry, emphasized the importance of early warning systems, technological watch towers, and unmanned aerial vehicle surveillance in quickly suppressing the fires.
“We experienced one of the busiest weekends of the fire season. However, all our teams acted in full coordination. Immediate action from land and air prevented the fires from spreading,” Karacabey said.
Karacabey added that the public provided significant support during firefighting operations. “Our greatest relief is that no lives were lost. We are beginning rehabilitation work in the affected areas immediately,” he said.
The director also warned that above-average temperatures and dry conditions have increased fire risk. “In the coming days, temperatures are expected to remain high. We urge citizens to remember that even a small spark can trigger large fires and to exercise maximum caution regarding our forests,” Karacabey added.
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