Our lungs burned in Alanya! Teams battled the flames all night long

A fire that started yesterday at noon in Alanya’s Söğüt Plateau quickly grew due to strong winds. The fire continued overnight, but the flames were largely contained by teams. Cooling efforts are ongoing to fully control the fire.

The large forest fire that started yesterday at noon in Alanya’s Söğüt Plateau, threatening the Mahmutlar and Demirtaş plateaus due to strong winds, was brought under control thanks to the intense efforts of the teams. Cooling efforts continue.

INTENSE FIGHT THROUGH THE NIGHT

The steep and mountainous terrain of the area made intervention difficult. Nearly 50 vehicles and numerous personnel participated in firefighting efforts, with local residents also helping with their own resources. Aerial intervention on this fire resumed early this morning.

MINISTER MAKES A STATEMENT

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı announced that 40 hectares of forest land burned. Cooling efforts continue to fully contain the fire.

CRITICISM OF ELECTRICITY COMPANIES

Former Alanya Municipal Council Member and civil engineer Yılmaz Bağışlar stated that the fire was likely caused by electrical infrastructure issues, urging electricity companies to fully comply with contract terms and commitments. In a tweet, Bağışlar thanked the fire crews for their quick and proper intervention and emphasized that maintaining healthy infrastructure is a constitutional obligation for electricity companies.

DISTRICT GOVERNOR VISITS FIRE AREA

Alanya District Governor Şakir Öner Öztürk visited the area to get information about firefighting efforts from officials. Alanya Deputy Mayor Murat Levent Koçak and Municipal Advisor Nazmi Zavlak closely followed the firefighting operations.

LARGE-SCALE INTERVENTION

The firefighting operation involved many personnel along with 28 fire trucks, 3 water tankers, 1 bulldozer, 2 first response vehicles, 4 team vehicles, 5 fire engines, water tankers from Alanya Municipality, 2 excavators, and 2 graders. Additionally, a fire detection dog named “Hane” from the Antalya Provincial Gendarmerie Command participated in the search efforts.

Precautions were increased near residential areas, with locals supporting teams by transporting water and helping fight the fire lines. Heavy machinery was used to prevent the fire from reaching residential zones.

22 HOMES EVACUATED IN GAZİPAŞA

In Gazipaşa district, 22 houses at risk from the forest fire that started in Doğanca neighborhood and moved towards Çile and Adanda neighborhoods were evacuated, and 40 residents were relocated. With support from IHH Search and Rescue teams, animals were also moved to safe areas.

While some residents stayed with relatives, those without other options were placed in a student dormitory by the Gazipaşa District Governorship. Aerial firefighting was paused, but ground teams continued their work nonstop.

‘223 PERSONNEL ON DUTY’

District Governor Selami Korkutata, who monitored the operations on site, stated that a total of 223 personnel were involved in firefighting, including 72 forest personnel from Antalya Forestry General Directorate, 86 gendarmerie personnel, 20 firefighters, 13 AFAD personnel, 9 ASAT personnel, 14 Gazipaşa Municipality personnel, 2 Alanya Municipality personnel, 4 health personnel, and 3 from the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services.

SECOND FIRE IN ALANYA EXTINGUISHED

A second fire broke out overnight in Alanya. When the fire was detected around 23:00 in the Karaburun area of Okurcalar neighborhood, 7 fire trucks from Alanya Forestry Directorate, 5 fire engines from Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Alanya Fire Department, 3 water tankers from Alanya Municipality, 4 excavators, and 6 teams from the gendarmerie public order team were dispatched. Local residents also helped the teams. Thanks to intense efforts, the fire was quickly extinguished. Approximately 3 hectares were damaged.