Forest fire destroys 10 decares of land in Turkey’s touristic Fethiye district

MUĞLA

Some 10 decares of forest land was destroyed by a fire on Aug. 24 in the Fethiye district of the Aegean province of Muğla, a local forestry official has stated.

The fire, which broke out at around 3:40 p.m in a forested area above Karaot Beach in the Yanıklar neighborhood, was taken under control after firefighters battled for two hours to extinguish the fire.

Three aircraft, six helicopters, 14 sprinklers, 10 water tankers, three firefighting vehicles and 105 forestry workers also participated in the firefighting efforts along the Fethiye-Muğla highway amid harsh winds.

Muğla Regional Forestry Director Mehmet Çelik said the cause of the fire still remains unclear.

“Eventually, we were able to have it under control. Some 10 decares of land was damaged but there is nothing to affect the safety of life and property,” Çelik said, adding that work to determine the cause of the fire was ongoing.

An investigation into the cause of the fire was launched and it was revealed that the fire broke out from the side road leading to the forest.

Officials have been elaborating on the possibility that the forest fire might have been caused by a cigarette butt or barbecue fire near the region.