Wildfires Ravage Turkey, Forcing Evacuations and Airport Closure in İzmir

In northwestern province of Sakarya, a fire that began on June 27, fanned by strong winds. Thirteen villages—two in Sakarya and 11 in Bilecik province—were evacuated, and several homes were destroyed. Rain on June 28 helped weaken the blaze, which was largely contained by June 29 after efforts involving aircraft, helicopters, and ground crews. Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç confirmed the evacuation of 1,081 inmates from Bilecik Gölpazarı’s open prison to nearby facilities as a precaution.

Western city of Manisa’s Akhisar district saw a fire erupt on June 28, spreading rapidly due to high winds. Multiple neighborhoods were evacuated, and firefighting teams from İzmir’s Regional Directorate of Forestry were deployed. The blaze was mostly contained by June 29, but winds rekindled it in some areas. A local beekeeper was arrested in connection with the fire and sent to prison.

 While fires in Sakarya and Manisa are largely under control, Western province of İzmir’s Menderes district remains a hotspot, with flames threatening residential areas.

İzmir’s Menderes district faced a major fire on June 29, starting in a forest and spreading to residential zones.

Five neighborhoods were evacuated, with three homes and numerous vehicles damaged.

İzmir Governor Süleyman Elban reported 1,113 personnel, 122 fire trucks, 74 water tankers, and 84 heavy machines engaged in the fight, though winds reaching 120 km/h hampered aerial operations. Three residents suffered smoke inhalation, but no fatalities were reported.

The fire in İzmir’s Gaziemir district forced the closure of Adnan Menderes Airport at 4 p.m. on June 29, halting all flights. Some incoming planes were diverted to other airports, and operations resumed gradually after 9:50 p.m. with the departure of a flight to Ercan. The airport’s closure disrupted travel, with cancellations affecting flights to Istanbul, Dublin, and London Stansted.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, who inspected the affected areas in İzmir, said 77 fires broke out nationwide on June 29, nine of them major.

“Manisa Akhisar, İzmir Kuyucak, and Doğanbey remain serious,” he noted, praising the 1,113 personnel and 38 aircraft battling the blazes. Yumaklı revealed that since June 1, 1,459 fires—569 in forests and 890 elsewhere—were tackled, with causes including 258 from stubble burning, 126 from cigarette butts, and four from fireworks.

Justice Minister Tunç announced the detention of 17 suspects linked to fires between June 26 and 28. In İzmir’s Buca district, a suspect was held for allegedly starting a fire with gasoline, facing charges of “intentionally causing a forest fire.”

Investigations suggest İzmir’s Menderes fire may have stemmed from power lines.