Balıkesir wildfire destroys 500 hectares of forestland

A wildfire destroyed 500 hectares of forestland in the Kaz (Ida) Mountains in the western province of Balıkesir. The fire was brought under control early on September 12 following two days of hard work by firefighters.

The large wildfire started late on September 10 in the Havran district of Balıkesir province.

The firefighters brought the fire under control early on Wednesday at 1 a.m. and then worked on cooling down the area. No injures were reported as a result of the wildfire, but many people were forced to evacuate their villages in the affected area as part of security measures taken by officials.

The head of the Regional Directorate of Forestry, Recep Ateş, who spoke to the Anatolia news agency on September 12 said that 500 hectares of forestland had been destroyed, adding that most of the destroyed land comprised Calabria pine forest. Olive groves and farmland had also been affected by the fire. He added that 25 vehicles equipped with sprinklers were working to cool down the area.

Adopted from Worldbulletin