2,965 personnel deployed in Izmir wildfire efforts, says Turkish communications director

ANKARA

Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun announced Saturday that efforts to contain forest fires in Türkiye's Aegean province of İzmir continue with a force of 596 vehicles and 2,965 personnel.

Altun said in a statement that “72 fires have broken out nationwide. Of these, 45 have been brought under control, while firefighting efforts continue for the remaining 27.”

Reassuring citizens affected by the fires, Altun emphasized that the state is fully mobilized to support them and noted that since the fires began, all related institutions have been working in close coordination with great dedication.

Altun addressed the spread of misinformation, saying: “Unfortunately, during times like these, false information and baseless reports that exploit public sensitivity toward the fires can circulate."

"It is vital that our citizens refrain from believing such misleading content and instead rely solely on the official statements and updates provided by authorized institutions,” he added.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 900 citizens have been evacuated -- 800 from the Karsıyaka district and 100 from the Bayindir district.

A forest fire that began late Thursday in the Izmir area has rapidly spread due to strong winds, prompting evacuations and extensive firefighting efforts across several districts in the province.

During the day, due to strong winds of approximately 80 kilometers per hour (49.9 miles), aircraft, for a while, were unable to intervene in the area of Yamanlar Karatepe in the Karsikaya district.

Evacuations were ordered in several neighborhoods and an animal shelter was also evacuated.

Roads leading to affected zones were closed, with gendarmerie and police enforcing security measures.

*Alperen Aktas contributed to the story from Istanbul