03.07.2025 19:42
While the forest fires in the Çeşme and Ödemiş districts of İzmir continue, a tragic news has come from the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı. Minister Yumaklı stated, "Our forest worker, İbrahim Demir, has been martyred while fighting to protect our green homeland in the fire in Ödemiş, İzmir."
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The forest worker İbrahim Demir, who intervened in the fire in Ödemiş, İzmir, was martyred.
TIME TO FIGHT AGAINST THE FLAMES IN ÖDEMİŞ
The fire that broke out in the Tosunlar neighborhood of Ödemiş at 21:05 last night affected a wide area due to the wind. Throughout the night, teams intervened from the ground to bring the fire under control. The neighborhoods of Tosunlar, Suçıktı, and Köseler, which were reached by the flames, were evacuated. Despite all the interventions by the teams, the fire could not yet be brought under control due to the strong winds.
THE FOREST WORKER WAS MARTYRED
This morning, after the sad news that an 81-year-old bedridden man named İbrahim Erkan lost his life due to smoke inhalation from the fire area, another sad news came. According to the information obtained, İbrahim Demir (39), a bulldozer operator who came from Konya to intervene in the forest fire in Ödemiş, was trapped in the flames when his vehicle broke down. İbrahim Demir lost his life in the incident, while his colleague Ragıp Şahin was seriously injured. Ragıp Şahin, who suffered second-degree burns on his body, was hospitalized for treatment.
Meanwhile, it was learned that the deceased İbrahim Demir was married and a father of two children, and he started working in the General Directorate of Forestry in 2008.
STATEMENT FROM MINISTER YUMAKLI
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı also made a statement regarding the issue, saying, "Our forest worker İbrahim Demir was martyred while fighting to protect our green homeland in the fire in Ödemiş, İzmir. I pray for God's mercy on our brother who defended the Green Homeland at the cost of his life, and I wish patience to his family and loved ones.
May our forestry community and our nation be consoled. I also wish a speedy recovery to our brother Ragıp Şahin, who was injured in the same fire area." he said.
FIRE CONTINUES IN ÇEŞME
While some houses in the region were evacuated in Çeşme, teams tried to bring the flames under control with 6 planes, 18 helicopters, and many ground vehicles. As the extinguishing 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 obtained from the Regional Directorate of Forestry, fire intervention continues in the region 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 rapidly progressed, images from Çeşme were alarming. It was seen that people fleeing from the flames were evacuated by boats.
STATEMENT FROM THE COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE
A statement regarding the issue also came from the Communication Directorate. The statement included the following remarks: "Since January 1, 2025, a total of 3,015 fires have occurred, including 1,295 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 in Bilecik Vezirhan can be classified as significant fires. A total of 574 fires, including these fires, 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, our 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. Efforts to bring the fires under control are being carried out intensively by the General Directorate of Forestry, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The fires are being intervened 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."
THE FIRE REACHED THE ÇEŞME HIGHWAY
The wind, which sometimes exceeded 80 kilometers per hour, made the efforts difficult.
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The fire, fueled by the wind, spread to the Çeşme highway, which was closed to traffic.
SOME ROADS CLOSED
On the İzmir-Çeşme Highway, the road was closed to traffic at the Zeytinler toll booths in the direction of Çeşme and at the Alaçatı toll booths in the direction of 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 was reported that access to Çeşme is provided via the İYTE junction through the Karaburun and Ildır routes.
3 RURAL NEIGHBORHOODS EVACUATED IN THE ÖDEMİŞ FIRE
Meanwhile, a fire broke out in the Tosunlar neighborhood of Ödemiş at 21:05 last night. It affected a wide area due to the wind. Throughout the night, teams intervened from the ground to bring the fire under control. The neighborhoods of Tosunlar, Suçıktı, and Köseler, which were reached by the flames, were evacuated. With the sunrise, it was reported that 2 planes, 9 helicopters, 35 water tankers, 9 water supply vehicles, and 4 bulldozers continued to intervene in the fire.
AN ELDERLY MAN DIED IN THE FIRE
During the evacuations in the Suçıktı neighborhood, a burned body was found in a house that had been 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.
“THERE IS NO CONCRETE EVIDENCE THAT THE FIRES WERE CAUSED BY ELECTRICITY LINES”
Additionally, Gediz Electricity Distribution Company also made a statement regarding the fires. The company stated that there is no concrete evidence that the fires in the region were caused by electricity lines. The statement included the following remarks: "The forest fires that continue to affect our country have deeply saddened us all. We pray for the souls of our citizens who lost their lives in the fires and extend our condolences to their families and loved ones; we wish a speedy recovery to all citizens who share our grief."
It has been observed that some news reports in the public domain have included claims that the fires were caused by electricity. First of all, we would like to express clearly that, according to the initial assessments conducted in the field, there is no concrete evidence that the fires in our region were caused by electricity lines.