Kaplan Stayed at His Post in Muğla’s Seydikemer District As Flames Bore Down on Homes, Ignoring Shouts of “Get Out of There”

Dozer operator Musa Kaplan stayed at his post in Muğla’s Seydikemer district as flames bore down on homes, ignoring shouts of “Get out of there” to keep pushing earth against the fire. Assigned to the Dalaman Forest Operation Directorate, Kaplan used his bulldozer to build a barrier in front of the advancing flames. The fire broke out around 07:30 on July 29 in agricultural land in the Bayır neighborhood and spread into the forest.

Teams responded with 5 planes and 20 helicopters from the air, and 410 vehicles and 1,141 personnel on the ground. With the wind shifting frequently, 703 people from 408 homes in six neighborhoods were temporarily evacuated. Because the blaze approached Seydikemer State Hospital, 45 patients were transferred to Fethiye State Hospital.

Fifty-five structures were damaged. Antalya highway, closed around noon, reopened at about 23:00. A water tender and a pickup carrying forestry workers were caught in the flames the previous day; both vehicles were damaged, but the crew escaped to safety at the last moment. According to initial assessments, more than 5,000 hectares of forest and farmland were scorched. In a statement, Muğla Governorship thanked Kaplan and the heroes who fought the fire shoulder to shoulder.