03.07.2025 18:12
The fire that continues in the Çeşme and Ödemiş districts of İzmir has spread to Selçuk and Buca as well. While three villages were evacuated due to the fire, the flames reached the Çeşme highway. Two people lost their lives in Ödemiş, and a video from Çeşme raised concerns. The footage showed people fleeing from the flames being evacuated by boats.
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The fire that started yesterday afternoon in the grassy area of Ildır neighborhood in Çeşme district of İzmir quickly grew due to the wind's effect.
FIRE CONTINUES IN ÇEŞME
While some houses in the area were evacuated, teams tried to control the flames with 6 planes, 18 helicopters, and numerous ground vehicles. As the firefighting efforts, supported by volunteer teams from the Seferihisar region, did not yield results, the villages of Germiyan, Karaköy, and Nohutlu, threatened by the flames, were evacuated. According to information from the Forest Regional Directorate, firefighting continues in the area with 2 planes and 6 helicopters, 39 water tankers, 14 water supply vehicles, and 4 bulldozers since dawn.
PEOPLE ARE BEING EVACUATED BY BOATS
As the fire progressed rapidly, images from Çeşme were alarming. It was seen that people fleeing the flames were being evacuated by boats.
STATEMENT FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORATE
A statement regarding the issue also came from the Communications Directorate. The statement included the following: "Since January 1, 2025, a total of 3,015 fires have occurred, 1,295 of which were in forested areas and 1,720 in non-forested areas.
The fires have been intensely experienced in the last week due to high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds.
During this time period (June 26 - July 3), 576 forest fires occurred. Of these fires, 331 started in non-forested areas and spread to forests.
In the last week, the fires in İzmir Aliağa, Bornova, Menderes, Gaziemir, Seferihisar; Manisa Akhisar, Kula, Ahmetli, Hatay Antakya, Bolu Göynük, Adana Kozan, Bursa Mustafakemalpaşa, and the fire at the Bilecik Vezirhan, can be classified as significant fires. A total of 574 fires, including these, have been brought under control.
In these fires, our 27 planes and 105 helicopters have used a total of 29,575 tons of water in 8,884 sorties. Additionally, 25,000 personnel, nearly 6,000 water tankers, initial response vehicles, and construction machinery have effectively intervened in the fires.
As of now, the fires in İzmir Çeşme, Ödemiş, and Buca, as well as in Istanbul Silivri, are ongoing. The General Directorate of Forestry, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, is intensively working to bring the fires under control. The interventions are being carried out with ground units consisting of planes, helicopters, water tankers, initial response vehicles, and construction machinery, along with firefighting, first aid, security, and AFAD teams and vehicles."
FIRE REACHED THE ÇEŞME HIGHWAY
The wind, which sometimes exceeded 80 kilometers per hour, made the efforts difficult. The fire, which grew due to the wind's effect, surrounded the Çeşme highway, which was closed to traffic.
SOME ROADS HAVE BEEN CLOSED
On the İzmir-Çeşme Highway, the road was closed to traffic at the Zeytinler toll booths towards Çeşme, and at the Alaçatı toll booths towards İzmir. On the Old Çeşme Road, vehicle passage is not allowed at the Kutlu Aktaş Dam from Çeşme to Urla and at the Zeytinler Junction from Urla to Çeşme. It has been reported that access to Çeşme is provided via the Karaburun and Ildır routes from the İYTE junction.
3 RURAL NEIGHBORHOODS EVACUATED IN THE ÖDEMİŞ FIRE
Meanwhile, a fire broke out in the Tosunlar neighborhood of Ödemiş at 21:05 yesterday evening. It affected a wide area due to the wind's effect. Throughout the night, teams intervened from the ground to control the fire. The neighborhoods of Tosunlar, Suçıktı, and Köseler, which were reached by the flames, were evacuated. It has been reported that firefighting efforts continued in the area with 2 planes, 9 helicopters, 35 water tankers, 9 water supply vehicles, and 4 bulldozers at dawn.
ELDERLY MAN DIED IN THE FIRE
During the evacuations in the Suçıktı neighborhood, a burned body was allegedly found in a house that was turned to ashes by the flames. It was learned that the body belonged to 81-year-old İbrahim Erkan, who was bedridden.
HIS WIFE LEFT THE HOUSE TO SEEK HELP
It was stated that the unfortunate man lived with his wife, and during the fire, his wife had to leave the house to seek help.
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ANOTHER PERSON HAS DIED IN ÖDEMİŞ
Another sad news has come from Ödemiş. A bulldozer operator working for the General Directorate of Forestry lost his life while trapped in the flames. It has been reported that one worker is being treated for second-degree burns.
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