Seventeen Arrested in Türkiye Amid Growing Wildfire Crisis
Amid a nationwide heatwave and escalating wildfires, Turkish authorities have detained 17 people, one of whom is suspected of deliberately starting a fire in İzmir, where the situation is most critical.
Fires have erupted in 77 locations across the country. In İzmir’s Seferihisar district, flames reached residential areas in the Doğankent complex, prompting the temporary evacuation of four villages and two communities. Twenty-one individuals have received medical attention.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that fires have spread up to 5 kilometers and affected wildlife as well, warning that both intentional and accidental involvement in wildfires constitutes a crime.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç reiterated the harsh penalties under Turkish law: at least 10 years in prison for intentional arson, and up to life imprisonment if committed for terrorist purposes. Even negligence—such as discarding a cigarette in a prohibited area—can lead to up to 10 years in jail.
The government is taking extensive precautions to avoid a repeat of the devastating 2021 wildfires, considered one of Türkiye’s worst natural disasters.
