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Turkey is confronting a surge in wildfires across multiple provinces, with over 5,000 personnel, more than 100 aircraft, and thousands of ground vehicles deployed as part of a nationwide emergency response, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported on Sunday.
The General Directorate of Forestry, operating under the Turkey Disaster Response Plan, is coordinating firefighting operations by both air and land in high-risk regions including Karabük, Bursa, Antalya, Mersin, Ankara, and Kahramanmaraş.
“We responded to 84 fires yesterday — 36 in forested areas and 48 in non-forested zones,” said Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı.
He warned that wildfire risk remains critically high and urged continued public vigilance.
“We are entering a particularly high-risk period for forest fires. Not only institutions, but our citizens must stay alert until at least October 2025,” Yumaklı emphasized. He identified the southern Marmara, northern Aegean, western Black Sea, and interior Aegean regions as priority areas under elevated threat.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also underlined the scale of the mobilization, affirming that Turkey is waging a comprehensive battle to protect its “Green Homeland.”
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Erdogan said the country maintains 24/7 readiness with 27 aircraft, 105 helicopters, nearly 6,000 ground vehicles, 25,000 forestry personnel, and over 132,000 volunteers involved in firefighting operations.
Since the start of summer, 3,062 wildfires have been fully extinguished nationwide, he added. “I express my heartfelt gratitude to our brave personnel working tirelessly on the front lines. May God grant them strength and success,” he said. Erdogan also paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the line of duty, offering prayers for their souls.
Major Fires Brought Under Control
Between July 20 and 26, precautionary evacuations were carried out in 53 residential areas across 10 provinces. Authorities have since allowed residents to return home.
According to AFAD, 8,269 livestock animals were relocated from high-risk zones in Afyonkarahisar, Bilecik, Eskişehir, Antalya, Uşak, Sakarya, and Karabük. Damage assessments were conducted in several provinces, with reported losses including 56 homes, four barns, nine haylofts, and 10 storage units. Support has been provided to affected households.
Minister Yumaklı confirmed that major fires in Silifke (Mersin), Serik (Antalya), and the Uşak–Sivaslı region have been brought under control. Cooling operations are ongoing in Gazipaşa, Antalya.
In Bursa, authorities have largely contained the fire in Yakuplar village. However, active blazes persist in the Kestel district of Bursa and the Safranbolu district of Karabük, where challenging terrain and unfavorable weather conditions are hindering efforts.
Nearly 2,000 personnel, six aircraft, and four helicopters are involved in the Kestel response, while 1,386 personnel, three planes, and 16 helicopters are deployed in Safranbolu.
In total, 928 homes and 1,839 people across 57 neighborhoods have been evacuated in Karabük. In the 12 February district of Kahramanmaraş, fires have spread into rocky terrain, where firefighting operations continue under difficult conditions.