29.06.2025 09:20
In the last two days, 150 fires have broken out across the country, and 8 fires are still actively burning. Efforts to extinguish the forest fire that started in the Taraklı district of Sakarya and spread to Bilecik are ongoing, with operations being conducted from both the air and the ground. In the village of Köprücek, around 10 houses were completely burned down, except for 2 houses at the entrance. One of the residents stated, "We have spent our lives here, and now there is nothing left. There can no longer be life here."
The fight against the forest fires that continue across the country is ongoing without interruption. With the warming weather, there has been a significant increase in the number of forest fires. Only on Friday and Saturday, 150 forest fires broke out.
The forest fire that started on Friday in the Taraklı district of Sakarya spread to the Gölpazarı district of Bilecik. Due to the forest fires, the Bilecik Governorship decided to evacuate the settlements close to the area. Many villagers and residents of neighborhoods affected by the flames left their homes, taking their animals with them. In Çiftlik village, where extinguishing efforts are ongoing, the fields and grasses that caught fire were extinguished by associations that voluntarily participated in the efforts. Residents of 6 households in the village were evacuated.
THE VILLAGE TURNED TO ASHES Köprücek village, located in the Gölpazarı district affected by the forest fires, was caught in the flames. The fire caused by the flames jumping from the forest quickly engulfed the entire village. With the decision of the governorship, all houses except for 2 at the entrance of the village were surrendered to the flames. In the village where the flames have not yet been extinguished, small explosions also occurred due to the belongings and gas cylinders in the houses. After the evacuation decision, Sebahattin Kaya, who expressed that he came to check on his house, said, "When I heard about the fire yesterday, we tried to come yesterday but couldn't reach the village. When we arrived this morning, our village had turned into a ball of flames. The fire was extinguished just 2 meters from my house. If we had been two hours later, my house would have burned too. All the remaining houses in the village, agricultural tools, everything burned. Except for the two houses at the entrance, all the barns, haylofts, and extensions of the houses burned. It is still burning," he said.
"THERE WILL BE NO LIFE HERE ANYMORE" Kaya, who stated that the village was also severely damaged in the forest fire of 1994, said, "This is where our childhood passed. Our lives have been spent here, and now there is nothing left. There will be no life here anymore, it is impossible. Because there is nothing left here. I knew about the forest fire, but I didn't expect the condition of the village to be this bad. The forest fire caused the pine cones to jump, and the grasses and hay around the houses caught fire. They triggered the fire. This is one of the villages evacuated yesterday due to danger," he said.
IT SPREAD TO OSMANELİ DISTRICT; A NEIGHBORHOOD WAS EVACUATED Meanwhile, while the firefighting efforts continue for the forest fire in the Gölpazarı district, which was taken over by the flames from Sakarya, a forest fire broke out in the Osmaneli district as well. The fire, which is said to have jumped from the fire that started in the Geyve district of Sakarya, ignited in the Kaşıkçı Neighborhood of Soğucakpınar village in Osmaneli district. A chicken farm and some houses in Kaşıkçı Neighborhood were damaged in the fire. The neighborhood was evacuated by the decision of the governorship. The Osmaneli Forest Management Chief and fire brigade teams are trying to control the fire from the air and ground.
MANİSA A fire broke out in the forested area near Karaköy Neighborhood for an undetermined reason. Upon notification, teams from the İzmir Regional Directorate of Forestry were dispatched to the area.
The fire was intervened with 4 planes, 10 helicopters, 17 water tankers, 3 water supply vehicles, and 2 bulldozers. Teams are continuing their efforts to extinguish the fire in the area where the wind is strong.
BURSA A fire broke out around 18:00 in the landfill area between the rural Hamamlı and Gündüzlü neighborhoods in the İnegöl district of Bursa for an undetermined reason.
The flames, which grew rapidly, spread to the surrounding forested area due to the wind. Citizens who saw the fire immediately reported the situation to the Forest Management Directorate and fire brigade teams. Upon notification, many fire trucks and forest teams were dispatched to the area. The teams' intervention in the fire is ongoing.
11 SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY The General Command of the Gendarmerie announced that a large-scale investigation has been launched regarding the forest fires that broke out on June 27-28. It was reported that a total of 11 suspects have been taken into custody within the scope of these investigations.