Fires in Turkey: Strong winds and human factors under investigation
Over 40 fires broke out on Saturday in Turkey. Authorities do not rule out human factors that may have contributed to the spread of the fire. Several suspected perpetrators have been detained.
The Hurriyet Daily News portal reported that 16 fires were recorded in forests and rural areas on Saturday only in the western province of Izmir. Strong gusts of wind aided the rapid spread of the fire in the Selcuk and Menderes districts, covering approximately 1,200 acres of land.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli stated that several people were detained in connection with the fires in the province.
Fire caused by a cigarette?
The cause of the fire in the Cesme district was most likely a discarded cigarette butt. On the other hand, according to services in Menderes, the fire started in a garden.
On Saturday, 44 fires were recorded in the country, including 30 in rural areas and 14 in forests. The media highlighted that most of them were quickly contained by firefighters. The fight against the fire continued into the night in the Selcuk and Menderes districts.
Due to the fires in the region, guests from two hotels and residents from several houses were evacuated. Animals from the local shelter were also transported to a safer place.
