Wildfire in Turkey traps 10 firefighters in fatal wind change, injures 14

Funeral for Turkey fire fighter deaths. Photo: Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

By David Bruce

Ten firefighters were killed and 14 were injured as they battled to contain one of many wildfires across Turkey in high temperatures and winds.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said the firefighters were trapped by a sudden wind change on the fireground on 23 July 2025.

The Minister, who attended the funeral of one of the workers, dozer operator Eyüp Dereli, in his hometown of Eskişehir said the five forest workers and five AKUT officers who were “martyred” while fighting a forest fire in the Seyitgazi district of Eskişehir had now been sent on their final journey.

“Today will perhaps be the hottest day in recorded history” – Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli

Minister Yumaklı said the number of fires that have broken out since the beginning of the year has exceeded 4,000, with 1,728 of these in forest areas.

“We’re talking about global climate change. Today will perhaps be the hottest day in recorded history. Therefore, when we look at the drought maps for the first six months and the subsequent drought maps published by the General Directorate of Meteorology, I want to emphasize once again that the fire risk is absolutely and undeniably very high for all of Türkiye during this period.”

Turkey fire fighter deaths. Photo: Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

He said firefighters were 19 forestry workers and five members of the voluntary, non-government search and rescue organisation AKUT.

“24 of our friends involved in the fire, which started in Eskişehir-Seyitgazi and spread to the Afyonkarahisar border, were unfortunately trapped in the fire when a sudden change in winds fanned the flames toward them. Fourteen of these friends are currently receiving treatment in various hospitals without any major problems.

“Unfortunately, we lost 5 forestry workers and 5 AKUT members. I offer my condolences to all the brothers who lost their lives, their families, and loved ones. My condolences to our nation. I also pray to God for a speedy recovery to my injured brothers.”

He appealed to his fellow citizens to remain vigilant. “The very high temperatures, high winds, and low humidity have made this no longer a simple forest fire. We have lost 10 of our dear brothers and sisters. I have nothing more to say. My condolences to our nation.”

Turkish wildfires threaten historic sites, ancient city of Assos

Turkey’s General Directorate of Forestry is battling a much higher number of wildfires this year compared with 2023; at this time last year, the country had recorded 513 forest fires, 665 other fires, and nearly 1500 total acres burned. As recently as June 24, those numbers have grown to 1093 forest fires, 1029 other fires, and nearly 8300 acres burned.

Aljazeera reported that at least 11 people were killed and dozens hurt as wildfires burned through villages in southeastern Turkey. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca reported the deaths from the overnight blaze between the cities of Diyarbakir and Mardin on Friday. Seventy-eight people were injured, with at least five people in intensive care units.

The elevated fire activity has resulted in increased aerial firefighting. The directorate has deployed aircraft over 4600 times thus far to fight the 2024 fires, and pilots have dropped over 16,000 tons of water. The total is a far cry from last year’s numbers of just 1100 deployments and only 3500 tons of water dropped.

Turkey’s wildfire season has recently received national attention as a fire threatens the ancient city of Assos. The fire has burned 90 percent of the historic area, according to an Agence France-Presse report in the New Straits Times. The fire ripped through the ruins of the ancient port city of Assos, founded in the 8th century BCE near the Dardanelles Strait.

Ninety percent of the historical site of Assos was burned, said Mesut Bayram, mayor of Ayvacik district.

Assos, built on andesite rocks, is famous for its agora, theater, sarcophagi, and Athena Temple, according to Turkey Tour Organizer. “Also, this is where the world-famous thinker Aristotle founded a philosophy school.”

The fire was likely caused by a smoldering cigarette; xix helicopters, two planes, and around 35 engines are fighting the fire.

Turkish helicopter crashes with four aboard

A firefighting helicopter crashed into a dam just before midnight with four people onboard while responding to a forest fire in Turkey’s western Izmir province, officials said early Sunday.  The Anadolu Agency reported that the helicopter went down with a crew of four; Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said the aircraft crashed into the Tahtali Dam in the Menderes district after it lost contact with the team.

Turkish helicopter accident

Yumakli said one of the four personnel, Erkinbek İsabekov, was rescued and hospitalized while search efforts continued for the other three — Mehmet Akif Tutuk, Oleg Agayev, and Ianshanlo Lamzar.

An Associated Press report on Monday said one pilot, a national of Kyrgyzstan, swam to safety following the accident late Saturday. The bodies of three other crew — a Turk and two Kyrgyz — have been located underwater. ABC News reported that the recovery had resumed on Monday after  Sunday’s unsuccessful efforts. The night vision-equipped helicopter is reported to be stuck in mud 12 meters (36 feet) below the water’s surface.

The fire was controlled on Sunday. The Hürriyet Daily News reported that it took firefighters about 20 hours to contain the fire, involving 9 planes, 20 helicopters, 54 aerial water tankers, 20 water supply vehicles, 10 dozers, 10 first-response ground crews, and a total of around 500 personnel.

Helicopters.gg reported that Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı visited the surviving co-pilot in the hospital and said his condition is stable. Journalists questioned the safety of the dam for firefighting helicopters, noting that a similar accident occurred in 2017, resulting in the deaths of five people. Minister Yumaklı said the cause will be determined after investigation, when authorities can assess whether there is any connection between the two incidents.

Firefighting helicopter crashes in Turkey killing two

The Interior Ministry of Turkey reported that two people were killed and five were injured when a firefighting helicopter crashed as it was en route to the Turkish port of Marmaris.

Personnel on the helicopter included two Russians and five Turkish citizens but the ministry did not give the nationalities of the deceased.

An official at the General Directorate of Forestry told journalists the helicopter had flown in from the northern province of Kastamonu to join others at Marmaris, a resort town on the Aegean Sea.

No cause was given for the crash which occurred in a field in the Çardak district, Denizli province.

The helicopter may have intended to assist with a large wind-driven fire in the Yalancıboğaz area of Marmaris. On Wednesday aircraft working on the blaze included 15 helicopters and 8 fixed wing aircraft assisting 500 firefighters on the ground. The fire is near a naval base which prompted the response of military personnel and equipment to assist in suppression.

Aviation Safety Network reports the helicopter was a Kamov Ka-32 operated by Avialift. It had departed from Kastamonu en route to Marmaris. Helicopter crash, Turkey, Sept 21, 2022

 

We send out our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of the deceased and injured.

Russian helicopter down in Turkey

Five people including three Russian firefighters were killed in the crash of a firefighting helicopter in the Koycegiz district of the Turkish province of Mugla. Radio Free Europe reported that the Russian helicopter was operated on the fire by Turkish and Russian crew members.

Turkey’s Forestry and Water Ministry says the helicopter crashed as it was headed into a valley fighting a fire near the village of Karacam. The Turkish Weekly reported that the helicopter hit a mountain slope and rolled down into a ravine. “The Kamov Ka-32 helicopter belonged to the Nefteyugansk Air Group,” said a Rosaviatsia spokesman. “The helicopter flew seven forest firefighting missions in the area through the day.”

A report by the Anatolia News Agency said the crash occurred near Otmanlar Village; the Russian-made Ka-32T helicopter crashed near the Kepez fire tower.

There were no survivors. A team of rescue workers is attempting to reach the crash site.