Massive Fire Near İskele Destroys 400 Acres of Land

Firefighters in Northern Cyprus have successfully put out a large wildfire that broke out yesterday between the villages of Avtepe and Kuruova. The blaze destroyed approximately 400 acres of land, including shrubland, 20 olive trees, and around 135 acres of unharvested wheat.

According to a statement from the police press office, the fire started around 3:00 PM in the İskele area. It was brought under control thanks to a coordinated response from police, fire services, forestry teams, civil defense units, and local residents, with support from heavy machinery.

Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Hüseyin Çavuş visited the scene to assess the damage.

After the fire was contained and the flames brought under control, civil defense crews began cooling operations. As a precaution, three fire trucks remained in the area overnight to guard against potential flare-ups.

Police reported that as of today, smoke can still be seen in parts of the affected area. Crews remain on site, and work is ongoing. Damage assessment and recovery efforts will begin once the fire is fully extinguished.