04.07.2025 18:21
Due to the forest fire that broke out the day before yesterday in the Ödemiş district of İzmir, almost all structures in the 40-house Tosunlar neighborhood have become unusable. While the villagers struggle to describe the pain they are experiencing, a painful scene has emerged in the area, which has become a 'ghost village.'
The fire that broke out in the forested area of Tosunlar Neighborhood in the Ödemiş district of İzmir on the evening of July 2 expanded despite the intervention of the İzmir Regional Directorate of Forestry and firefighting teams, due to the strong winds in the area.
TOSUNLAR TURNED INTO A 'GHOST' VILLAGE
The spreading fire caused damage to the houses and barns in the evacuated neighborhoods of Suçıktı, Tosunlar, Üzümlü, Ortaköy, and Karadoğan. Almost all structures in the 40-house Tosunlar Neighborhood, which has a population of 200, became unusable.
Residents who came to the area, dominated by a black cover due to the fire, experienced the sorrow of losing their homes. The region, which has virtually turned into a "ghost village," was captured in aerial footage.
"WE LOST OUR 40-YEAR ACCUMULATION"
Mustafa Keskin, a 57-year-old resident, said that during the initial phase of the fire, he and his wife tried to save their bees.
Keskin stated that he was only able to save 4 out of 80 hives, adding: "The fire environment was complete chaos. We lost everything, our animals perished. We were left with just the clothes on our backs. Our 40-year accumulation is gone. All the products we cultivated ourselves are lost. I had 30-year-old olive trees, they burned. Right now, we have nothing left to do, we are sad."
"WE CONTINUE TO LIVE BUT OUR CONDITION IS BAD"
Yakup Avcı, a 32-year-old resident, expressed that his house burned down, saying, "We feel the way a person feels when they lose something. The situation is terrible, our animals are dead, we are heartbroken. We continue to live, but our condition is bad."
"OUR VILLAGE HAS BECOME LIKE A GHOST VILLAGE"
Levent Köymen, the headman of the evacuated Karadoğan Neighborhood, stated that the fire reached their homes due to the wind's effect.
Stating that they evacuated the houses, Köymen said, "Our village has become like a ghost village. This land belongs to our ancestors. Dozens of houses are in a state that cannot be repaired. Our job is hard; may no one experience such a fire."
Aziz Bağcı, a 34-year-old resident, explained that the fire also burned the memories of his childhood in the neighborhood, emphasizing that the only consolation is saving their lives. 68-year-old Ahmet Kesen also stated that approximately 800 liters of olive oil became unusable.