A massive forest fire in Turkey’s northwestern province of Bursa has prompted evacuations and the closure of a major highway. The flames were advancing toward residential areas, bianet.org reported. Shocking videos of the fire have surfaced on X.
The huge blaze started at about 5.30 pm local time in a wooded area between the districts of Gürsu and Kestel. The flames began spreading rapidly due to strong winds. Local residents were forced to flee, and emergency teams were dispatched to the scene.
What we know so far
Firefighting units from the Regional Forestry Directorate and municipal fire departments responded to the wildfires. Residents, too, joined the efforts to contain the fire.
{{/usCountry}}Firefighting units from the Regional Forestry Directorate and municipal fire departments responded to the wildfires. Residents, too, joined the efforts to contain the fire.
{{/usCountry}}Kestel Municipality said in a statement that firefighting operations were underway, and told residents they must follow official warnings. “We request that residents of Ağlaşan and nearby areas comply with all official instructions and take necessary precautions,” the statement read.
As the fire moved closer, authorities started to evacuate Karahıdır, a rural neighborhood in Gürsu. Residents in other nearby areas also began leaving their homes.
The General Directorate of Highways confirmed that a portion of the Bursa Ring Road was closed due to the blaze. “The section between the Yıldırım junction and Turanköy junction of the Bursa Ring Road has been closed to traffic. Transportation is being redirected through the Erdoğanköy–Kestel section of the D-200 State Road,” the statement said.
Local media reports said that the flames have reached the central areas of the Gürsu and Kestel districts. According to the Bursa’da Bugün newspaper, the blaze spread to stone quarries in the Karahıdır neighborhood, where explosions were heard.
The Bursa Governor’s Office announced that ash fall had started because of the wildfires, and urged residents to keep doors and windows closed to avoid storing flammable materials on their balconies.
Local resident Mehmet Uğur Yılmaz, who lives in İpekyolu neighborhood, said of the scene, according to Anadolu Agency (AA), “In the evening, we saw a small fire on the hill. It quickly intensified and jumped to the other side with the wind. Now the fire is huge. Everyone is panicking. We don’t know what to do.”
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said after inspecting the site in Bursa, as reported by turkiyetoday.com, "We have given very clear instructions not to take risks in residential areas. 2 villages was evacuated accordingly. Around 700 residents were evacuated from there. The fires have reached Igidir village, where 600 residents were also evacuated. We are closely monitoring the situation. We have coordinated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Karabuk-Ankara road, which had been closed, has now been reopened to traffic."