İzmir wildfire under control after mass evacuations
IZMIR
A large-scale wildfire that broke out in the western province of İzmir on June 25 has been brought under control after burning through the night and forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.
The blaze started around 12:30 p.m. in a forested area in the Aliağa district, spreading toward the district of Foça.
Though the regional directorate of forestry dispatched crews within 20 minutes, strong winds quickly fueled the fire’s spread.
The effort to contain the flames involved several planes, helicopters, water trucks, pieces of heavy machinery, tankers and 625 ground personnel.
In Foça’s Ilıpınar neighborhood, 175 homes were evacuated and 550 people were relocated as a precaution.
The fire burned for over 21 hours before the general directorate of forestry announced it had been brought under control.
Although the exact cause remains under investigation, initial evidence suggests that a power line may have sparked the blaze.
Cooling efforts are currently ongoing in the affected areas.
İzmir Governor Süleyman Elban urged residents to exercise extreme caution in the coming days, warning of continued high temperatures and low humidity.
“We expect the next four to five days to be very hot, with strong winds and low humidity. These conditions create the perfect environment for fires,” he said.
"We urge everyone to avoid discarding cigarette butts or lighting fires outdoors. Everyone’s life is affected. We all need to be extremely cautious.”
In Türkiye, wildfires are common during the summer months, particularly in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions, where hot, dry conditions create ideal environments for fires to ignite and spread rapidly.
