‘There is not a single firefighting plane in Milas’

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Turkey has been struggling against forest fires since July 28. Of the 163 fires that broke out in 38 provinces in the last seven days, 11 fires are still continuing, with the one in Milas still in a serious condition.

For the time being, Muğla, where the flames are threatening Milas, Köyceğiz, Seydikemer, Marmaris and Bodrum, is a center of the fires.

Reporter Coşkun Efendioğlu from the local Önder newspaper in Milas has spoken to bianet about the situation in Milas. Indicating that the fire that broke out in Beyciler in Milas merged with the fire in Bodrum, proceeded towards Çökertme and has reached Mazı, Efendioğlu has said, "As there is no intervention from the air, the intervention from the land is falling short."

'There is not even a single plane'

Noting that the fire that broke out on August 1 has come closer to the Temelköy Thermal Power Plant, journalist Efendioğlu has said that pits have been dug around the power plant so that the fire will not come any closer to the hydrogen tanks.

Efendioğlu has stated the following:

"Since the day it broke out, the fire has spread to the Bozalan Village, Fesleğen Village and Demirciler Village as a result of the wind. The fire in Çökertme has been put out, but as no cooling-off efforts were undertaken, the fire has started again.

"We cannot talk about a fully extinguished fire here. On August 2, Deputy Interior Minister Mehmet Ersoy said that there would be an intervention from the air; however, not a single firefighting plane has arrived."

Forest fires in Turkey

Since July 28, 163 forest fires have erupted in 38 provinces of Turkey. While 11 fires were still ongoing as of yesterday evening (August 3), especially the fire in Milas was in a serious condition. Eight people in total have lost their lives in the fires. While 28 neighborhoods have been evacuated in Muğla, 78 villages and 2,219 farmers have been affected by the fires.

According to the European Forest Fires Information System, over 120,000 hectares of area have burned in Turkey in 2021. (MÜ/TP/SD)