Efforts continue both by air and land to contain wildfires that broke out in forested areas across Antalya’s Aksu, Muratpaşa and Manavgat districts in southern Türkiye on Thursday.
The fires erupted for unknown reasons in the Kurşunlu neighborhood of Aksu, the Güzeloba neighborhood of Muratpaşa and the Güzelyalı neighborhood of Manavgat. Upon notification, helicopters, water trucks (arazöz) and forest workers from the Antalya Regional Directorate of Forestry, as well as riot control vehicles (TOMAs) from the Provincial Police Department, were dispatched to the scenes.
In Aksu and Muratpaşa, where the fires are close to residential areas, police used loudspeaker announcements to evacuate homes. Firefighting efforts are ongoing with aerial and ground support.
Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin visited Aksu to receive updates from officials regarding the fires.
In a statement to the press, Şahin said that since the morning, numerous fires have broken out in Antalya due to hot and dry weather combined with strong winds, and teams have been actively responding.
He confirmed that fires in the Manavgat, Alanya, and Güzeloba neighborhoods of Muratpaşa have been contained. However, the fire in Aksu, particularly in the Fatih and Yurtpınar neighborhoods where he was currently present, is showing signs of expansion. He noted that the flames have reached the outer walls of the ancient city of Perge.
“As you can see, the winds are intense and the heat is extreme, causing the fire to jump and spread. Our teams are working hard,” Şahin said.
He also mentioned ongoing firefighting efforts in the forested areas of Gazipaşa.
Şahin stated that all fires are being tackled with the support of vehicles from the Regional Forestry Directorate, fire teams from the Metropolitan Municipality, and the Provincial Police Department's TOMA units, emphasizing effective intervention from both air and land.
Although the fires are not large in terms of area, their proximity to residential neighborhoods poses significant risks. Şahin said: “The fires occurred within city centers and among homes, including areas where greenhouses are located, which made them particularly concerning and dangerous. We evacuated some houses as a precaution. We have received information that a few evacuated houses have been damaged, and there are reports of damage to greenhouses. After the fires are brought under control, our teams will conduct detailed assessments of the damage and losses.”
He confirmed that there have been no deaths or injuries, and firefighting teams continue their efforts on the ground.
At the time of the statement, the fires in Aksu and Gazipaşa had not yet been fully controlled, but efforts to extinguish them were ongoing.
Şahin highlighted that weather conditions remain highly conducive to fires and urged the public to exercise greater caution.
Recalling warnings issued by the General Directorate of Meteorology regarding the hot weather, Şahin said: “This weather creates the perfect conditions for fires: dry air, strong winds, and very high temperatures. Under such conditions, dry grass and various materials on the ground become like matches or kindling, ready to ignite. When human activity is added to this, such as discarding a cigarette butt or careless behavior, fires can easily start. Not all of these are necessarily intentional acts of sabotage; human factors also contribute to the outbreak of fires. After each fire, we conduct investigations to determine the cause and timeline.”
Şahin added that one person has been detained regarding the fire in Güzeloba. “It is not considered sabotage, but the fire started as a result of a fire they lit for some activity,” he said.
He noted that no other similar findings have been made so far and that investigations are ongoing.
