Wildfire Kills 10 Forest Workers, Volunteers in Türkiye Eskisehir

A wildfire in Turkey's central Eskisehir province has tragically claimed the lives of at least 10 forestry workers and volunteer rescuers after a sudden shift in wind direction trapped them in the flames. The blaze, which began near the villages of Buyukyayla and Fethiye, spread rapidly due to high temperatures and strong winds, forcing evacuations in several nearby villages and threatening homes. Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed that 24 workers were trapped, with 14 hospitalized and 10 fatalities among forest workers and AKUT rescue volunteers, including Eskisehir Regional Forestry Director Ismail Cetin. The fire has expanded from Eskisehir’s Seyitgazi district toward neighboring Afyonkarahisar province, and efforts to contain it are ongoing. Turkish officials and local lawmakers expressed deep grief over the loss, highlighting the extreme weather conditions exacerbated by climate change that have intensified the wildfire. This disaster underscores the increasing danger faced by firefighting personnel amid rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events in the region.