TPF Wildfire Relief Fund

Dear TPF Donors,

Thank you for standing with the communities of Türkiye during one of the most severe wildfire seasons the country has faced. Because of your generosity through the TPF Wildfire Relief Fund, we were able to move quickly, equip the teams on the front lines, and help protect lives, homes, and natural habitats across some of the hardest-hit regions.

We are grateful to share the impact you made possible through a $100,000 grant to the AKUT Foundation, one of Türkiye's most experienced search-and-rescue organizations, in support of their project, Support for Responding to the Wildfires in Türkiye.

This is not the first time your generosity has made this kind of impact possible. As shared in our previous updates, the Fund has already provided more than $19,000 in grants to the Basic Needs Association (TIDER) and the Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG), supporting emergency response, a humanitarian aid warehouse in Güzelbahçe, and the deployment of 130 young volunteers across Izmir and Hatay. The AKUT Foundation grant builds directly on that foundation, extending the same spirit of rapid, needs-driven response to a wider network of search-and-rescue teams across Türkiye.

Equipping the Teams on the Front Lines

With your support, AKUT Foundation delivered approximately 3,000 pieces of critical equipment and supplies to firefighting personnel, search-and-rescue (SAR) teams, local municipalities, and civil society organizations working in disaster-affected areas. This included fire-resistant clothing, work safety shoes, helmets, masks, and other personal protective equipment, as well as shovels, picks, and rakes for direct fire intervention, and first aid kits, medical supplies, power banks, and fire blankets to keep responders safe and supported in the field.

Because of you, this support reached more than 200 responders across 9 SAR teams operating in 7 cities, including Istanbul, Izmir, Hatay, Sakarya, Kocaeli, and Mersin. 

Responding Where It Mattered Most

Materials were procured and distributed in direct response to requests from regional authorities and teams working in the disaster zones, ensuring that support went exactly where it was needed most. This rapid, needs-driven approach helped SAR teams respond effectively to wildfires as they broke out, and contributed directly to efforts that helped bring the 2025 fires under control.

Of the $100,000 grant, $45,890.42 was spent responding to the immediate needs of the 2025 wildfire season. Rather than let the remaining funds go unused, AKUT Foundation is preparing to put them to work ahead of the next fire season—using them in 2026 to purchase additional equipment and distribute it to search-and-rescue teams before fires occur, so that responders are ready to act the moment they're needed.

Building Lasting Readiness

Your support did more than meet an immediate need—it strengthened long-term preparedness. AKUT Foundation's experience this season reinforced the importance of establishing equipment warehouses in fire-prone regions, maintaining them year-round, and deepening coordination with municipalities, fire departments, and disaster management offices. These lessons are already shaping plans for 2026, when wildfires are expected to return with similar intensity.

The visibility of this work also had a ripple effect beyond the fire zones. Social media updates and press coverage of AKUT Foundation's response reached approximately 9,000 accounts on Instagram alone, and the Foundation saw a marked increase in volunteer applications—a sign of growing public commitment to wildfire response across Türkiye.

Looking Ahead

Wildfires have become an annual challenge in Türkiye, growing in frequency and intensity each year. Thanks to donors like you, AKUT Foundation and the teams it supports are better equipped, better connected, and better prepared to respond—not just to this season's fires, but to whatever comes next.

We remain committed to standing ready. Your continued support of the TPF Wildfire Relief Fund ensures that when the next wildfire strikes, responders across Türkiye will have what they need to protect lives, preserve nature, and help communities recover.

Thank you for being part of this work.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Team TPF