A forest fire that broke out in recent hours in the Osmangazi district of Turkey’s northwestern province of Bursa quickly spread through wooded areas due to wind and reached several villages and houses in residential areas, forcing the evacuation of residents in the area amid scenes of panic.
Turkish news agencies reported that the fire broke out around noon for unknown reasons in a rural area in the İsmetiye neighbourhood, near the Demirtaş bridge on the Istanbul-Ankara highway. Several local residents who noticed a column of smoke in the area where the flames started immediately reported the emergency to 112, and numerous firefighters, gendarmerie, and members of the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) and the Regional Forestry Directorate were dispatched to the area.
Fanned by the wind in the area and the dryness of the ground due to the heat wave, the flames spread rapidly and quickly, beginning to threaten populated areas. It was precisely in the neighbourhood of İsmetiye that the most panic-stricken moments were experienced, where many residents had to flee their homes in haste as the flames came dangerously close to the houses: terrible moments in which many could not hold back their tears, and which were captured on camera.
While no personal injuries were reported thanks to the quick evacuation of the residents from their homes, several houses were reported to have been damaged by the fire. Meanwhile, efforts to extinguish the forest fire continue, with numerous teams on the ground supported from the air by helicopters. Authorities in Turkey have urged the population to exercise extreme caution these days due to the high temperatures and low humidity, which keep the risk of fire at its highest level.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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