Bursa wildfire: Three killed in accident during firefighting efforts

Three people were killed today in an accident involving a water tanker en route to a wildfire zone in Bursa, northwestern Turkey, where fires continue to affect residential areas between the districts of Gürsu and Kestel.
According to local authorities, the tanker belonging to a private company overturned near the Dudaklı neighborhood while delivering water to firefighting crews. The driver, whose identity has not yet been confirmed, died at the scene. Two others in the vehicle were severely injured and later died in the hospital despite medical intervention.
Wildfires that began yesterday evening continue to burn. While authorities had declared the fire largely contained earlier today, strong winds reignited flames later in the day, reversing progress in containment efforts. Several neighborhoods in Gürsu and Kestel districts have been evacuated as a precaution.

Ten firefighters killed battling wildfire in central Turkey
Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, who visited the region, confirmed that the fire grew today. “Yesterday we announced that the Harmancık-Orhaneli fire was largely under control and that cooling efforts were ongoing. However, due to strong winds, flare-ups occurred during the day, and we are now refocusing efforts there."
Referring to the Kestel fire, Yumaklı stated, “We had made significant progress by midday and thought we were nearing the end, but we are seeing minor flare-ups and smoke due to wind. Until we fully eliminate these, our teams will continue working.”
The minister also shared figures on the ongoing response: “Today, we deployed six aircraft, including two heavy-duty planes, along with four helicopters, 855 ground vehicles, and 2,300 personnel. Even after nightfall, operations will continue to access more areas and eliminate the causes of smoke and residual heat.” (VK)



