The forest fire that began in Tanzig (Danzi), Kurukaymak villages, and Koçeri villages on 17 August as a result of the Turkish military operation in Dersim’s Hozat district spread to the villages of Uzunmeşe, Değirmendere, Dereköy, and Çamurek and Hınzori villages of the Buzlutepe (Karper) village in the Ovacık district.

PEOPLE: WE ARE PREVENTED

According to the public, Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SIHA) shelled the area three times on August 16, and the fire began on August 17 as a result of firing from the helicopter. Pointing out that the fire has been raging for 12 days, locals said, "There has been no intervention to the fire for days, and those who sought to intervene were barred by the military. The wooded areas have turned to ash and the area is fully engulfed in smoke.”

A resident of Karper village in the Ovacık district recalled that their village had been destroyed by fire back in 1994 and stated, "We have lived here for two years, we have rebuilt our house here. If nothing is done to stop it, the fire will reach our community by tomorrow and our settlements will burn once more. The hamlets of Çamurek and Hınzori, which were evacuated in 1994, have been burned down once more. They arrived from the Hozat Forest Management Directorate two days ago with construction equipment to clear the path, but they returned. They came back today and did not clear the way. They are deceiving us. It is critical to intervene in the fire from the air as soon as possible."