Five forestry workers and five members of the AKUT Search and Rescue Association lost their lives while battling a wildfire in northwestern Türkiye. According to Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli, at least 14 other rescuers and forestry personnel were hospitalized with injuries as the flames tore through a forested area in Eskisehir province.
The minister explained that a sudden change in wind direction caused the fire to shift rapidly and trap the workers. The exact cause of the fire remains unclear. Currently, firefighters are fighting seven wildfires across the country, including the one in Eskisehir, amid forecasts of extreme heat and volatile wind conditions in Türkiye on Thursday. Minister Yumakli urged all citizens to stay vigilant and exercise caution as temperatures soar and winds become unpredictable.
Two prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the incident, according to the justice minister. Türkiye has been grappling with wildfires since June 26, and the recent deaths bring the total wildfire fatalities in the country this year to 13. Earlier this month, an elderly man and two forestry workers died in a wildfire near Odemis in İzmir province.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences to the victims’ families, emphasizing their sacrifice in fighting to protect Turkey’s forests, even at the cost of their lives.
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