Villages evacuated as major wildfire rages in Aegean city

ÇANAKKALE

Firefighting teams have been tirelessly working to extinguish major blazes engulfing Çanakkale province along Türkiye’s Aegean coast, with authorities evacuating several villages in the area.

The first extensive forest fire of the season, which ignited from stubble burning in the Eceabat district on June 18 around 4 p.m., swiftly spread to the forest, exacerbated by strong winds.

"We cannot yet declare the fire is completely under control. Our colleagues are persistently intervening both on the ground and from the air, while also conducting partial monitoring. We hope to announce that it is fully contained in the forthcoming hours," Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı told reporters on June 19.

Authorities temporarily restricted maritime traffic through the Dardanelles Strait early on June 19, repeating a precautionary measure taken the previous day.

Yumaklı disclosed that the blaze has ravaged approximately 575 hectares so far, adding that favorable meteorological conditions have substantially curbed the fire's rapid spread.

The historic site, which witnessed the Gallipoli campaign in 1915 and hosts a memorial, has been closed to visitors, Yumaklı said.

Providing information on the two evacuated villages, the minister noted that conditions are not yet suitable for residents to return, and further evacuations are being considered.

The firefighting efforts include nine helicopters, six aircraft and a night-vision-equipped helicopter, alongside 94 ground vehicles, including fire engines and machinery as well as the deployment of 540 personnel.

Concurrently, the Aegean provinces of İzmir and Uşak witnessed forest fires, while a fire in the nearby province of Manisa was brought under control early on June 19.

Meanwhile, meteorologists issued continuous warnings about the high risk of forest fires due to the forecasted extreme heat and dry conditions during the week. The minister advised farmers in Çanakkale to complete their harvest activities by 11 a.m. over the next five days due to predictions of gale-force winds and temperatures soaring 5 degrees above seasonal norms.

"The objective is to preclude even the slightest chance of a spark from machinery during the peak wind hours," he stated.

Türkiye grapples with forest fires during the summer months, especially in its western and southern regions, due to high humidity and extreme temperatures.