A large wildfire that had spread rapidly, fanned by strong winds, and threatened the tourist resort of Foça, located on the Aegean coast in the Turkish province of Izmir, was brought under control in the last few hours thanks to the tireless intervention of firefighting crews, who fought the blaze for 22 hours.
According to Turkish media reports, the fire broke out at around 12:30 noon yesterday in a wooded area in the Horozgediği area of the Aliağa district, north of Foça, and from there it spread to this town and district on Turkey’s west coast, driven by strong winds. The firefighting operation involved the participation of 625 ground personnel supported by 6 helicopters, 46 fire engines, 9 bulldozers, 13 water supply vehicles and water tankers belonging to the Izmir Regional Forestry Directorate (Izmir).
Finally, after burning all night, the fire was brought under control this morning after burning for 22 hours. The fire forced the evacuation of some 175 houses and about 550 residents in the Ilıpınar neighbourhood of Foça, and left four firefighters affected by smoke poisoning , two of whom had to be hospitalised.
Although the exact causes of the wildfire are not known at this stage, initial evidence suggests that it may have been caused by a high-voltage power line. The governor of Izmir province, Süleyman Elban, called on the population to exercise extreme caution in the coming days due to low humidity and high temperatures due to the heat wave, which aggravates the risk of fires: “We expect the next 4 or 5 days to be very hot, with strong winds and low humidity. These conditions are perfect for fire. We ask everyone to avoid throwing cigarette butts or lighting fires outside. Everyone’s life is at stake. We must all be extremely cautious,” the governor warned.
VOTE
EDITORIAL TEAM
🧿 About us
.
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.
…
📣 Your ADVERTISING on Hispanatolia
.
🤗 HELP US WITH A DONATION:
💗 Paypal
