Wildfire fanned by strong winds in Çanakkale under control

ÇANAKKALE

Thick smoke billows from a charred hillside as emergency crews combat a wildfire in the Ezine district of Çanakkale. (AA Photo)

A wildfire that broke out in a grassy area in the northwestern province of Çanakkale and spread to nearby forest land has been brought under control by ground and aerial teams.

Fanned by strong winds, an evening fire that started in open grassland near Gökçebayır Village quickly swept toward the forest.

Teams from the Çanakkale Regional Forestry Directorate were promptly dispatched following initial reports.

“Our teams are continuing their relentless efforts to fight the wildfire that broke out around 7:19 p.m. on Aug. 4, in the Gökçebayır Village in the Ezine district of our province. The fire is being tackled from the air by two planes and two helicopters, and from the ground by a total of 131 personnel and 38 vehicles, including 20 fire trucks, five water tankers, one bulldozer, one trailer and two fire engines. Our teams are working nonstop to bring the fire under control as soon as possible,” the Çanakkale Governor’s Office said in a statement.

With the flames contained, teams have transitioned to cooling operations in the region.