A forest fire that started on Tuesday in Tekirdağ’s Şarköy district has expanded to neighboring Çanakkale’s Gelibolu district in northwestern Türkiye, forcing the temporary closure of the Çanakkale-Malkara highway due to heavy smoke and reduced visibility.
The fire broke out at approximately 1:30 p.m. in the Şenköy neighborhood outside the forested area for reasons still under investigation. Strong winds, reaching speeds of up to 46 kilometers per hour, caused the flames to quickly spread to surrounding forests and nearby neighborhoods, including Şenköy, Kocali and Kızılcaterzi. Authorities evacuated these areas as a precaution, relocating residents and their livestock to safer zones. Some homes and agricultural equipment were damaged by the fire.
Emergency response teams swiftly mobilized, with the Forestry Directorate deploying six airplanes, six helicopters, 60 fire trucks and 350 personnel to the scene. Additional support came from the Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department, as well as firefighting units, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), gendarmerie commandos and riot police from nearby provinces, including Istanbul, Edirne and Kırklareli.
Firefighting efforts continued throughout the night to prevent the blaze from reaching evacuated neighborhoods. At dawn on the second day, aerial firefighting resumed, supported by 14 planes, 13 helicopters, 114 fire trucks and 10 heavy machinery units, as confirmed by the General Directorate of Forestry. A total of 684 personnel remain engaged in combating the fires in both Şarköy and Çanakkale’s Ayvacık area.
The fire’s spread toward Gelibolu’s Kavakköy rural area prompted authorities to close the Çanakkale-Malkara highway at the Kavakköy junction. The closure aims to protect motorists from the thick smoke and poor visibility caused by the ongoing blaze.
Çanakkale Governor Ömer Toraman stated that the fire poses no threat to critical infrastructure such as natural gas pipelines or military facilities. He added that control lines have been established to contain the fire and that firefighting teams are working continuously to suppress the flames.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as the firefighting operation remains underway, with no immediate end in sight.
