The flames are moving toward Ballıkayalar, while prosecutors examine whether a broader wave of fires across Turkey involved human activity.
A forest fire has broken out in Kocaeli Province in northwestern Turkey. The blaze started in the Gebze district, in a wooded area near the Mollafeneri neighborhood.
The fire spread rapidly through the forest and is moving toward the Ballıkayalar area. Numerous firefighting crews have been deployed to battle the flames.
Numerous firefighting crews have been dispatched to the scene… The fire is advancing toward the Ballıkayalar area.
– IHA news agency
The cause of the fire in Kocaeli has not yet been determined.
Turkey Investigates Dozens of Forest Fires
Against the backdrop of the latest blaze, Turkish law enforcement authorities continue to investigate forest fires reported in various parts of the country in recent months.
Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said that since June 1, 2026, investigations have been launched into 73 forest fires in 25 provinces.
As part of the investigations conducted by public prosecutors’ offices, 46 suspects have been identified; 12 suspects have been arrested, while judicial control measures have been imposed on 21 people.
– Akın Gürlek
According to Akın Gürlek, prosecutors are establishing the circumstances of each fire and examining possible human involvement in its outbreak.
Anyone who causes a forest fire intentionally, through negligence, or carelessness should know that no act that harms our forests will go unpunished.
– Akın Gürlek
Efforts to extinguish the forest fire in the Gebze district are ongoing.