1,300 people evacuated from Bursa fires, TOKİ housing is safe

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, in his statement at the Bursa Regional Directorate of Forestry Fire Coordination Center, provided important information regarding the forest fires that broke out in the Orhaneli, Kestel and Gürsu districts of Bursa.

Minister Uraloğlu stated that fires broke out in two separate locations on July 27th, one in Orhaneli at 4:06 PM and the other in the Kestel-Gürsu area at 5:41 PM. He explained that full coordination was established with all relevant institutions since the fire was detected, and rapid interventions were initiated.

Uraloğlu stated that the fire spread rapidly due to high air temperatures and wind, and emphasized that the fire on the Orhaneli side has been seriously narrowed down and that a result is aimed to be achieved in a short time.

Uraloğlu stated that the fire, which broke out between the Gürsu and Kestel districts, affected an area of approximately 100-110 hectares, and that 13 aircraft carried out effective intervention in the region until dark.

Uraloğlu stated that clear instructions were given not to take any risks in residential areas, and that the Karahıdır Neighborhood was evacuated accordingly. He added that the fire there reached some houses, but thanks to early intervention, major damage to the neighborhood was prevented.

Uraloğlu stated that approximately 700 citizens were evacuated from Karahıdır, and around 600 people were evacuated from the İğdir Neighborhood, where the fire had reached, and that the intervention in the region continues uninterrupted.

Uraloğlu stated that the fire has not yet spread to other areas and is being closely monitored, adding that intensive intervention will be carried out again with aircraft as of sunrise in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Over 500 personnel and over 150 response vehicles are working to combat the fire. Uraloğlu noted that additional water trucks and water vehicles have been dispatched from nearby provinces, emphasizing that these dispatches will continue until morning and that all available resources are being mobilized to extinguish the fire before it spreads.

Uraloğlu stated that there have been no injuries due to the fire so far, adding that neither the personnel nor the citizens were put at risk and that the necessary evacuations were carried out in advance.

Uraloğlu, responding to some allegations, denied rumors that TOKİ housing in the Gürsu district was under fire threat. He said, "There are approximately 2,200 residences there. Right now, I can say this clearly: there is no fire that has reached there, no immediate threat. We are monitoring it closely. There are no evacuations there."

Uraloğlu also announced that the highway connection coming from the Eskişehir direction was closed to traffic as a precaution due to the risk situation and that the animal shelter in the fire zone was evacuated before the flames reached it.