Turkish authorities identified 29 suspects and arrested six in investigations into 44 forest fires across 16 of the country’s 81 provinces since June 1, 2026, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek has stated.
Nine suspects were placed under judicial control and six remain in detention while the ministry’s Natural Disasters and Accidents Department monitors legal proceedings, Gürlek said.
Chief public prosecutor’s offices evaluate crime scene findings, camera footage, communication data, witness statements, expert reports and technical examinations to determine causes and the chain of responsibility.
Those who intentionally burn forests or cause fires through recklessness or carelessness will face the severest legal sanctions, Gürlek said.
Initial findings show some blazes were started intentionally, while others stemmed from welding machine sparks, combine harvester malfunctions, spiral cutting machines, beekeeping bellows, garden fires and blown fuses on electricity poles.
Courts ordered the arrest of suspects for intentionally starting fires in the western province of İzmir’s Torbalı district and the southwestern province of Muğla’s Ortaca district.
Authorities also arrested a suspect over welding sparks in the northwestern province of Balıkesir’s Burhaniye district and another who admitted to burning a hut in the southeastern province of Adıyaman.
The ministry is determined to monitor all cases closely, he said.
Green homeland is the common trust of the nation, and no forest fire with a suspicion of crime will remain unsolved, Gürlek said.
