27.07.2025 07:50
In the forest fire threatening three districts in Bursa, over 100 hectares of land were damaged, and 485 households and 1,765 people were evacuated. The flames that engulfed the three districts significantly lost their intensity as the wind diminished. Teams remain on alert against the possibility of the wind reigniting the flames. Meanwhile, the fire left behind pine trees that have turned gray.
The scale of the tragedy in the forest fire that started in the Gürsu and Kestel districts of Bursa and threatened the Avdancık village in Osmangazi became apparent with the dawn. Only piles of ash remain from the pine-covered forest areas in the Karahıdır and İğdir villages of Gürsu district and the Avdancık village of Osmangazi. The energy of the fire significantly decreased as the wind's effect diminished in the early morning. However, while flare-ups occur from time to time in the region, forest, fire brigade, and municipal teams remain on alert against the possibility of the wind reigniting the flames.
FIRE AFFECTING 3 DISTRICTS HAS BEEN LARGELY CONTROLLED
The fire, which turned over 100 hectares of land to ash in Bursa and led to the evacuation of 1,765 people in 485 households in 3 villages, was largely extinguished after the teams fought bravely throughout the night. Drone footage recorded by UAV teams in the İğdir and Narlıdere villages shows that the pine-covered forest area has turned gray.
MINISTER URALOĞLU: THE ENERGY OF THE FIRE HAS BEEN REDUCED
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdülkadir Uraloğlu, who made a statement regarding the fire that has burned the heart of Turkey in Bursa, said, "The energy of the fire has been reduced. We cannot say it is fully under control. A total of 1,800 people are on the ground to extinguish the fire. The Ankara-Bursa highway has been opened. God willing, we believe we will bring the fire under control today," he said.
ONLY HEART-WRENCHING IMAGES REMAIN
After the extinguishing efforts throughout the night, involving around a thousand public, municipal, and volunteers, the flames were subdued. What remains from the extinguished forest are smoking images and pine trees that have turned gray.
TEAMS ON ALERT
It has been learned that Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdülkadir Uraloğlu, who directed the operations at the crisis center in Bursa throughout the night, will conduct an aerial inspection of the area by helicopter. Meanwhile, teams are continuously on alert in the region against the possibility of the forests, which are still smoldering due to the storm and south winds during the day, catching fire again and spreading to other areas.
It has also been learned that the advance of the fire has been halted in the evacuated Avdancık village in the Osmangazi district before it reached residential areas.
FIRE IN ORHANELİ HAS BEEN CONTROLLED
The forest fire that broke out in the Meyran area on the Harmancık road in the Orhaneli district of Bursa was brought under control after 10 hours. It was reported that the energy of the fire has been reduced and there is no danger.
1,765 PEOPLE EVACUATED FROM 3 NEIGHBORHOODS WITH 480 HOUSES
In a statement from the Bursa Governorship, it was noted that due to the ongoing forest fires in the rural neighborhoods of Gürsu district, evacuation efforts have been carried out; 708 people from the 170-house Karahıdır Neighborhood, 600 from the 220-house İğdir Neighborhood, and 457 from the 90-house Avdancık Neighborhood in Osmangazi district, where the fire is advancing, totaling 1,765 citizens evacuated safely from 480 households.
The statement also noted that fire extinguishing efforts are ongoing with 1,163 personnel and 496 vehicles without interruption.
HIGHWAY REOPENED
The forest fire that broke out in Bursa grew rapidly due to the wind and the flames, which were attempted to be brought under control by aerial and ground intervention, led to the precautionary evacuation of the rural Karahıdır and İğdir neighborhoods. The Gürsu section of the Bursa Ring Road was closed to traffic. Later in the night, the highway was reopened to traffic.