A major forest fire that broke out in the Bozbük area of Milas—just a stone’s throw from Akbük and Didim—has been largely brought under control after a massive, collaborative effort by land and air crews working tirelessly through the night.
As someone who has called Akbük home for the last 20 years, seeing smoke rise from our neighboring hills is always a deeply concerning sight. Yesterday evening, around 17:03, a wildfire ignited in the pine forests of the Gürçamlar neighborhood, specifically in the Bozbük sector. Driven by low humidity levels of under 30 percent, high seasonal temperatures, and unpredictable winds, the flames quickly spread through the dry Mediterranean shrubland and pine trees, posing a direct threat to nearby residential areas and holiday resorts.
Precautionary Evacuations of Holiday Resorts
To ensure the safety of both locals and tourists visiting our beautiful coastline, authorities acted swiftly. Muğla Governor İdris Akbıyık, who arrived on-site to personally coordinate the response, announced that 1,120 people were safely evacuated from the immediate area. This included 350 guests from a local hotel and 770 residents from a nearby holiday village. Thankfully, due to the rapid action of the emergency services, no casualties have been reported, and these evacuations were carried out entirely as a precautionary measure.
An Incredible Display of Regional Solidarity
What always warms my heart about living in this part of Turkey is the incredible spirit of solidarity during times of crisis. The fight against the blaze was a true joint effort. The General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) coordinated the massive response, which saw local municipalities, including our own Didim Municipality, alongside Milas and Yatağan municipalities, sending water bowsers and support teams.
National disaster agency AFAD, the UMKE medical rescue teams, the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), and the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality fire department worked shoulder-to-shoulder. Even local thermal power plants, civil society organizations, and the gendarmerie assisted. The police department even deployed four of their TOMA water-cannon vehicles to help douse the flames along the perimeter.
Massive Air and Land Deployment
As the sun rose this morning, the aerial battle intensified. A total of 12 helicopters and 8 planes took to the skies during daylight hours, while 6 helicopters and 4 planes continued to drop water on hot spots as the morning progressed. On the ground, the numbers were staggering: 517 personnel, 62 water tenders, 29 water tankers, 11 bulldozers, and dozens of support vehicles worked relentlessly to surround the fire.
Governor Akbıyık noted that Muğla had been battling six different fires simultaneously across the province, including blazes in Ortaca and Kavaklıdere. Fortunately, the other five have been successfully contained, and the Bozbük fire is now “largely” under control, with cooling operations ongoing to prevent any reignition.
A Gentle Reminder to Our Expat Community
While the immediate danger has passed, the Governor warned that meteorological conditions will remain highly sensitive over the coming days. With low humidity and high winds forecast, we must all remain incredibly vigilant. Please avoid lighting any fires, disposing of cigarettes carelessly, or leaving glass bottles in forested areas. Let’s do our part to protect our gorgeous green canopy—our “Green Homeland”—which we are so lucky to enjoy here in Didim and Akbük.
Yazar: Jonathan