Bozcaada police identify arson suspect in Aegean island fire

ÇANAKKALE

Security forces have found that the fire in Bozcaada, an island off the Aegean province of Çanakkale, was deliberately set, as the perpetrator was captured on surveillance cameras igniting dry grass.

The fire broke out late on Aug. 18 in the Baytur region of Bozcaada. Upon receiving the alert, the municipality’s fire brigade dispatched teams to the scene, where they managed to extinguish the flames before the fire could escalate.

This incident, occurring in a renowned tourist destination, has further fueled suspicions of arson, given that the island has experienced a spate of forest and agricultural fires over the past 10 days.

The blaze in Baytur, ignited in a grassy area, was captured by a nearby security camera, clearly showing an individual setting the fire and then fleeing the scene.

In response to the act of arson, Bozcaada's Police, along with the Gendarmerie Command, has launched an intensive investigation to apprehend the suspect involved.

The country witnessed its most severe fires of the season over the weekend, notably in the western province of İzmir, with the majority being subdued by Aug. 18.

The weekend's most significant blaze, which erupted in the western province of İzmir's Karşıyaka district and has been described as the largest of the season, was ignited by three individuals lighting a fire in a picnic area.

According to a statement on Aug. 19, firefighting teams have tackled 306 forest and rural fires nationwide in the past four days, successfully extinguishing 304 of them.

The conflagrations in İzmir, Manisa and Aydın have inflicted damage on 142 structures, with comprehensive damage assessments still underway.