In the fire that jumped from Sakarya to Bilecik, the village was reduced to ashes; the images are horrifying.

28.06.2025 14:41

The forest fire that started yesterday in Sakarya and has been ongoing for more than 24 hours has spread to Bilecik due to the wind. Many villages have been evacuated, and residents have been relocated to safe areas. Bilecik Governor Faik Oktay Sözer stated, "The wind is hindering our efforts." Meanwhile, many houses that were evacuated due to the fire have been engulfed in flames and turned to ashes.

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In the Taraklı district of Sakarya, a forest fire that started yesterday and spread to the Bilecik border due to the wind is being fought by 700 personnel, 200 vehicles, 10 fire trucks belonging to the Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality, and 20 personnel, along with 11 firefighting helicopters. The area turned to ash was captured in aerial footage.

THE TEAMS' FIGHT CONTINUES

Intense intervention was initiated from both land and air from the very first moment of the fire. Teams worked tirelessly throughout the night; with the first light of dawn, air vehicles were also reactivated. The decrease in wind in the region slowed the spread of the flames; however, the visibility decreased due to dense smoke, which sometimes complicates the intervention efforts. There is still an ongoing fight against active flames in the area. Authorities stated that efforts are continuously being made to bring the fire under control, and as of this hour, 700 personnel, 200 vehicles, 10 fire trucks belonging to the Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality, and 20 personnel, along with 11 firefighting helicopters, are on duty in the region. The areas turned to ash and where smoke is rising were also captured by drones.

A LARGE NUMBER OF SETTLEMENTS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED

Due to the flames, 73 citizens, 7 small livestock, and 76 large livestock were evacuated from the Hacıdurmuşlar neighborhood of Köprücek village; 27 citizens, 10 small livestock, and 107 large livestock from the Seyfiler neighborhood of Taşcıahiler village; 46 citizens, 307 small livestock, and 52 large livestock from Alıç village and its connected neighborhoods Akçaözü and Elmümin; 1 citizen and 25 large livestock from the Ormancılar neighborhood of Kavak village; 70 citizens, 150 small livestock, and 28 large livestock from Akçakavak village; 30 citizens, 65 small livestock, and 79 large livestock from the Muratlar neighborhood of Kavak village; 105 citizens, 165 small livestock, and 302 large livestock from the neighborhoods of Bağışlar, Yağcılar, and Şehler in Kavak village; 10 citizens, 14 small livestock, and 39 large livestock from the Urgancılar neighborhood of Tongurlar village; and 5 citizens, 43 small livestock, and 1 large livestock from the Dumanlar neighborhood of Kümbet village were evacuated.

"367 CITIZENS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED TO SAFE AREAS"

Bilecik Governor Faik Oktay Sözer, while closely monitoring the process from the very first moment the fire started, stated that a crisis center has been established in the region, saying, "A total of 367 citizens have been evacuated to safe areas in 17 settlements, including 7 villages and 10 connected ones, along with 762 small livestock and 709 large livestock. The evacuated citizens are waiting in safe areas away from their homes."

WIND NEGATIVELY AFFECTS THE EFFORTS

Sözer later stated in a live broadcast on CNN TÜRK: "The effect of the wind is impacting the extinguishing efforts. We are relocating our citizens in the villages to safe places. The wind is hindering our efforts. Our work continues diligently. We are hopeful for tomorrow, as we expect 40% chance of rain. Our efforts are ongoing."

ALMOST ALL OF A NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BURNED

The fire affected 9 villages in the Gölpazarı district of Bilecik, and a 'Crisis Center' was established in the region. In the Urgancılar neighborhood of Tongurlar village, 10 citizens, 14 small livestock, and 39 large livestock were evacuated. In the neighborhood consisting of 17 houses, 13 houses were completely burned, and 1 sheep and 50 chickens perished. The villagers stated that they experienced a great disaster related to the fire, saying that the fire grew due to the effect of the wind.