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A wildfire near Sarıcaeli village in Çanakkale province, Turkey, spread into a nearby forest and forced authorities to temporarily suspend ship traffic through the Dardanelles (Çanakkale) Strait.
### Why It Matters
The Dardanelles strait is a crucial link between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Vessels often transit this route when moving between the Mediterranean and Black Sea, making its temporary closure significant for global maritime traffic and local communities.
### Firefighting Efforts
Firefighting efforts mobilized dozens of aircraft and hundreds of personnel to protect populated areas and infrastructure. The city center was not immediately threatened, but one care home was evacuated as a precaution.
#### Temporary Closure
Shortly after the fire began, the Turkish Coast Guard posted that marine traffic was temporarily suspended in the north-south direction. Reports indicated that the strait has since reopened, with full movement resumed.
### Details of Firefighting Operations
The Turkish General Directorate of Forestry used eight airplanes, four helicopters, 46 water tankers, one piece of heavy machinery, and 272 personnel to combat the flames. At around 10:30 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry posted a video showing an airplane working to fight the flames.
### Weather Conditions
Weather conditions will continue to challenge firefighters as winds are expected to remain strong enough to exacerbate the fire. Humidity levels will change very little over the next few days, and it will remain dry. Overall, the weather pattern in the area is not expected to significantly change into early next week.
### What Does the Dardanelles Strait Connect?
The strait is a major commercial artery, with nearly 44,892 vessels transiting it in 2023, more than the Suez or Panama canals combined. It links the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara.
### Map of Ship Density
A map from Global Fishing Watch shows high ship density in the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits.
### What People Are Saying
The Turkish General Directorate of Forestry stated, “We are intervening from the air and ground to control fires occurring in non-forested areas in Çanakkale Merkez and Bayramiç. Our efforts continue to bring the fires under control as soon as possible.”
Journalist Sinem Köseoğlu posted, “Wildfire in #Çanakkale: Flames have spread from farmland to forest near Sarıcaeli village. Aerial and ground crews are battling the blaze with no current threat to the city center. One care home was evacuated as a precaution. Maritime traffic in the Dardanelles Strait has been temporarily suspended to support firefighting operations.”
### Next Steps
The fight against the wildfire continues, according to an update from Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
[Update 8/8/25, 11:28 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.]
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Why was ship traffic through the Dardanelles Strait temporarily suspended?
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