Most fires across Türkiye under control, minister says

ANKARA

Firefighters had brought 258 of 260 fires reported across Türkiye since July 29 under control by Aug. 1 morning, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı said, before a new blaze broke out on Marmara Island.

Yumaklı said 162 of the incidents occurred outside forested areas.

The wildfire in Balıkesir’s Gömeç district and the Aydıncık-Gülnar blaze in the southern province of Mersin had been fully contained, he said.

The fire in Çine in the western province of Aydın was also under control, while another in Balıkesir’s Susurluk district had been largely contained.

“At present, there is no active fire that could pose a danger,” Yumaklı said during the morning briefing.

A new forest fire was reported around noon near the Topağaç neighborhood on the southern coast of Marmara Island in Balıkesir.

Strong winds fanned the flames in an area of extensive farmland close to settlements, prompting the deployment of firefighting crews.

The Çine fire began in the Kavşıt area on July 30. Five homes were damaged and residents of 30 others were evacuated as a precaution.

Livestock from four neighborhoods was moved to the district’s livestock market.