In the Turkish province of Antalya, firefighters have been battling large-scale forest fires for a third day; strong winds have caused the blazes to spread to residential areas. The situation is most critical in Aksu, where the fire is moving towards Kepez. The authorities reported that 720 people had been evacuated, one resident had died and at least eight people had been injured; over two thousand households were temporarily without electricity.
Briefly about the main points
- The largest fire in Aksu has largely been contained, but firefighting operations are still ongoing.
- 720 residents have been evacuated from the danger zones in Aksu and Kepez.
- Hasan Kahya, a resident of Aksu, died after being exposed to heavy smoke.
- At least six houses, greenhouses and fields were burnt down in Serik.
- No evacuation order was issued for Kemer and Tekirova.
Thick smoke has reappeared over the Aksu district
One of the largest fires broke out on Monday at around 4.30 pm in the Karaoz area of Aksu. The dense pine forest and strong winds accelerated the spread of the flames, which came close to residential areas and were moving towards Kepez.
The fire threatened houses, greenhouses, barns and other agricultural infrastructure. In some areas, it broke through the protective firebreaks set up by the fire service. On the morning of 9 September, the Antalya authorities stated that the risk to settlements had been significantly reduced and that the fire in Aksu had largely been contained.
At around 2.00 pm, thick smoke reappeared over one of the districts. Following this, the air and ground units stepped up their efforts; in the afternoon, five firefighting aircraft and ten helicopters were deployed in the operation.
Evacuation, power cuts and fire-fighting resources
The evacuation in Aksu and Kepez affected 254 residential buildings, particularly in the districts of Yeşilkaraman, Karaöz, Yumuk and Çamlıca. Pets were also evacuated from the risk areas.
Fire damaged the power infrastructure, leaving 2,097 households without electricity. The Antalya–Isparta road was temporarily closed, but traffic was later partially restored.
At the height of the operation, 1,086 people were involved. They had 168 fire engines, seven TOMA water cannons, 30 pieces of heavy machinery, 115 other vehicles, as well as three aeroplanes and nine helicopters.
Deaths following a smoke-filled incident and assistance to those affected
On 9 September, the first confirmed death linked to the fires was reported. A resident of Aksu Hasan Kahya He died following a heart attack, which occurred after he was exposed to heavy smoke, the district mayor said Isa Yildirim. Reuters confirmed the report, citing local authorities.
More Eight people were injured. Two people were taken to hospital with leg injuries, whilst six others were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
Houses were burnt down in Serik, whilst the final stages of fire-fighting were underway in Kumludzha
A separate fire in the Serik area spread to residential areas and agricultural land. According to DHA, at least six houses were burnt down there, and greenhouses and fields were also damaged.
After about nine hours, the fire in Serik was brought under control and work began to cool the area. In Kumludzha, as of 9 September, the fire had also been largely contained, although efforts to fully extinguish it were still ongoing.
The smoke had reached the holiday resorts, and the wind was hampering the work
NASA satellite images from 8 September showed a cloud of smoke from the fire in Aksu hanging over a large part of Antalya. The smoke and ash reached the central, eastern and northern parts of the city. Tourists reported a smell of smoke and a haze in Kemer, Tekirova, Belek and other resort areas; in some parts of Kemer, visibility of the mountains was reduced.
As of 9 September, no official evacuation order had been issued for Kemer or Tekirova. Nor was there any confirmed information that the fire was approaching the hotel district of Kemer.
Wind speeds reached around 30 km/h at times, which meant that some fires could reignite and the flames spread beyond the firebreaks. Farmers and local residents delivered water using tractors and tankers; the causes of the main fires have not been officially established.
