A new wildfire, fueled by strong gusting winds, broke out on Wednesday near Çeşme, a popular tourist destination in the Izmir province of western Turkey, following a 24-hour period of relative calm, according to officials and local media.
“The fire is not under control,” stated Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban shortly before midnight (local time and Greek time). He emphasized that, according to eyewitnesses and technicians at the scene, the fire appears to have been caused by a power line cable. As reported by NTV radio, the wildfire started early in the afternoon in an agricultural area and spread rapidly due to strong winds into nearby forested areas and olive groves.
“High temperatures and winds are hampering firefighting efforts,” the station reported, as firefighting forces continued operations throughout the night.
01.25: Germiyan – Reisdere yolu, Germiyan evleri@MerihAk
— İzmir Hava Durumu (@izmirhavadurmu) July 2, 2025
Highway connecting Izmir to Çeşme closed
The highway connecting Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, with Çeşme – a popular coastal destination 80 kilometers to the west – was closed in both directions.
In areas directly threatened by the fire, residents were forced to evacuate immediately, according to a French Press Agency photojournalist report from the area.
So far, no casualties have been reported by any source.
The municipality of Çeşme announced via X that assembly points and reception centers have been organized for fire victims. Beyond firefighting and civil defense, volunteer teams and search and rescue organizations are participating in disaster response efforts, the municipality clarified. The country’s oldest and most respected search and rescue organization, AKUT, published terrifying photographs on X, showing burning hills and a crimson sky.
Çeşme’de rüzgar ve yangının şiddeti korkutucu seviyede. pic.twitter.com/jNTbYzwZLJ
— izmirgibiyiz 🇹🇷 (@izmirgibiyiz) July 2, 2025
In his most recent official update on Tuesday evening (July 1), Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı attempted to reassure, stating that the main fire sources had been “partially controlled.”
However, “extreme heat conditions” were forecast for this week and “strong winds coming largely from the Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean,” he warned.
Çeşme’de alev boyutu çok ürkütücü. Adeta cehennemi yaşıyoruz.#izmiryanıyor
— İzmir Hava Durumu (@izmirhavadurmu) July 2, 2025
Hundreds of wildfire outbreaks have occurred in Turkey since last Friday due to a combination of high temperatures, drought and winds.
Approximately fifty thousand people had to be evacuated from their homes in the Izmir and Hatay provinces (south), according to Turkey’s emergency management service AFAD.
