A fire that erupted in Tekirdağ and spread to Çanakkale has been contained.

A large wildfire that broke out in Turkey’s northwestern province of Tekirdağ on Jul 15 and spread into neighboring Çanakkale has been brought under control, the governor's office announced today. Cooling operations are still underway to prevent the blaze from reigniting.

The fire began in an agricultural area in the Şarköy district of Tekirdağ and quickly reached nearby forestland. Authorities evacuated four neighborhoods—Şenköy, Yeniköy, Kocaali, and Kızılcaterzi—whose residents have now returned to their homes, according to the governor's statement.

Efforts to contain the fire involved 15 planes, 19 helicopters, nearly 500 land vehicles, and more than 1,180 personnel. The governor's office said firefighting teams would remain in the area until the cooling phase is complete to guard against flare-ups.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, who visited Tekirdağ late yesterday, said the weather had become more favorable since the fire broke out. Wind speeds have dropped and humidity levels have risen compared to the day the fire started, he said, noting that these conditions helped bring the fire under control.

Damage in livestock shelters

Farmers in the affected areas are now assessing the damage. In Kızılcaterzi, livestock shelters were destroyed, and some animals were lost in the fire. Damage assessment efforts are expected to begin shortly.

Ayşe Özgür, a livestock farmer, described the terrifying speed of the fire, saying, “The animals’ shelter, food, and water were all burned."
 

“We barely managed to get our small livestock out. The fire moved from Şarköy toward Şenköy quickly. The wind was so strong that before we understood what was happening, everything was in flames," she added.

“Teams arrived and told us to evacuate. They said, ‘Save yourselves,’ but we couldn’t bear to leave the animals behind. We’ve lost many of our small livestock, and two heifers are missing. May God help us,” she added.

Another farmer, Şefik Çobanlı, who has been raising livestock in the area since 1973, said he noticed the fire while grazing his animals. “I barely saved them. I’m very saddened,” he said.

Source - https://bianet.org