Earthquakes and wildfires: how Brits in Fethiye can prepare their home and family

Earthquakes and wildfires are part of life on this coast, in the way flooding is part of life in parts of Yorkshire. Most Brits here never see serious damage, but the ones who cope best chose their building carefully and know what to do before anything happens.

The short version

• The FCDO says many parts of Turkey regularly have earthquakes and tremors, which can be strong enough to damage buildings and put lives at risk [1].
• Fethiye itself was badly damaged by two earthquakes, of magnitude 7.1 and 7.3, on 24 and 25 April 1957 [3]. Most of today's town was built after them.
• Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) covers the building, up to a maximum of TRY 2,605,100 (about £38,600) from 1 November 2026, not your contents [4][5].
• Wildfires happen frequently in Turkey in summer. Lighting any fire, or dropping a cigarette in woodland, can mean a fine or prison [1].
• In 2026 entry to 50 forest areas across Muğla province was banned from 1 June to 31 October [6]. For any emergency, call 112 [1].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = TRY 67.4414).

The earthquake risk around Fethiye

Turkey sits where several tectonic plates meet, and the south-west is one of its active corners. A fault zone running from Rhodes north-east towards Burdur passes close to Fethiye [3]. The FCDO's travel advice, which was updated on 27 October 2026 when we checked on 8 November 2026, says earthquakes "can be high magnitude, cause damage to infrastructure, and pose a risk to life" [1].

The town has lived through it. On the night of 24 April 1957 a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck, followed seven hours later by a magnitude 7.3 [3]. Around 90% of buildings were damaged, and a stretch of the harbour quay sank into the sea [3]. The death toll was kept low partly because the district governor ordered people out of their homes after the first shock [3]. The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dainty brought relief supplies a few days later [3].

That history is useful. Fethiye's buildings are mostly modern and low-rise, but "modern" covers everything from the 1960s to last year, and building quality varies.

Choosing a safer building

The biggest decision you'll make is which building you live in. Turkey's current earthquake building code came into force in 2019, and buildings designed and built properly since then should meet a much higher standard than older stock. Lessons from the February 2023 earthquakes in south-east Turkey, where many collapsed buildings had been badly built or altered, apply here too.

Before you rent or buy, check:

1. The year of construction. Ask for the building permit date and the occupancy permit (iskan). A building with no iskan is a warning sign.
2. Alterations. Removed walls or columns on the ground floor, for shops or open-plan living, are a classic weakness. Look at the ground floor of the whole block, not just your flat.
3. Extra storeys. Floors added later, without permission, add weight the frame may not have been designed for.
4. Cracks and damp. Diagonal cracks around doors and windows, or rusty reinforcing bars showing in concrete, need an engineer's eye.
5. The ground. Low-lying, reclaimed or soft ground near the shore shakes more than rock. Ask where the building sits.
6. A structural survey. If you're buying, pay a qualified engineer for an independent report. Under Turkey's urban regeneration law, owners can also apply for an official risky-building assessment.

Our guide to buying property in Fethiye covers the paperwork checks, and renting in Fethiye what to ask a landlord.

DASK: compulsory earthquake insurance

DASK (Zorunlu Deprem Sigortası) is compulsory earthquake insurance for homes in Turkey, and it's one of the documents the land registry asks for when you buy [5]. It's the owner's responsibility, renewed every year.

The limits are uprated every month with inflation [4]. For most villas, the maximum won't cover a full rebuild, so owners usually add a private home insurance policy with earthquake cover for the rest and for contents. Tenants should take out contents insurance; the landlord's DASK does nothing for your laptop.

Before, during and after an earthquake

AFAD, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, publishes the latest earthquakes and preparedness advice on its website, and the FCDO points readers there [1]. AFAD's own site didn't load for us when we checked, so we've kept to the essentials here.

Before

• Fix tall furniture, bookcases and the water heater to the wall.
• Know where to shelter in each room: under a sturdy table, away from windows.
• Agree a meeting point outside with your family, and keep an emergency contact in the UK who knows how to reach you.
• Pack a grab bag (see below) and keep it by the door.
• Register for FCDO travel advice email alerts so you see updates.

During

• Drop, cover and hold on. Get under a sturdy table and hold on until the shaking stops.
• Don't run outside during the shaking, and don't use the lift.

After

• Expect aftershocks [1]. Go outside to an open area if your building is damaged.
• Turn off gas and electricity if you can safely.
• Call 112 for emergencies [1]. Mobile networks may jam, so send texts rather than calling where you can.
• Let family in the UK know you're safe. If you need consular help, the FCDO can be reached around the clock through gov.uk. See consular help from the FCDO.

Wildfire season

Summer in the Fethiye hills means pine forests, high temperatures and dry winds, and in recent years Muğla province has had large forest fires. The FCDO says wildfires happen frequently in Turkey in summer, and that you could get a fine or prison sentence for lighting a fire of any kind or throwing away cigarettes in woodland [1]. If a wildfire is nearby, local authorities may tell you to leave your home; follow their instructions [1].

The 2026 rules in Muğla

The Muğla governor's office banned entry to 50 forest areas across the province from 1 June to 31 October 2026, enforced under the Forest Law and other laws [6]. During that period [6]:

• Camping, barbecues and picnic fires in the forest areas were banned.
• Burning garden waste, stubble, olive grove cuttings and branches was banned, especially in forest villages.
• Fireworks and sky lanterns were banned at tourism sites, campsites, picnic areas and wedding venues in or near forests.
• Leaving glass bottles and flammable rubbish in forests was banned.
• Registered picnic areas stayed open for fire-free picnics.

The list of areas and the dates are set each year, so check the governor's announcement every spring.

Preparing a home in or near the pines

1. Clear around the house. Keep dry grass, pine needles and dead branches well away from walls and under decking.
2. Keep gutters clear, and don't store firewood or gas bottles against the house.
3. Have a hose that reaches every side, and know where the mains water tap is.
4. Know two ways out. Many hill villages have one main road. Keep the car fuelled in high summer.
5. Never burn garden waste in summer. Your Turkish neighbours, the forestry service and the gendarmerie will be unimpressed, and you may break the ban.
6. Report smoke straight away on 112 [1].

The grab bag

If you're renewing a British passport while out here, keep the old one's details in the bag too. See renewing a British passport from abroad.

What's different from back home

The UK has no compulsory earthquake insurance, building inspections for seismic safety or forest-entry bans, so all of this can feel alarming at first. Most Brits soon treat it like checking the boiler before winter: a routine job. The British Honorary Consulate in Fethiye is in the town centre, open by appointment [2]. Swap tips on safe buildings and good insurers in our community group for Brits in Turkey.

Sources

1. GOV.UK (FCDO): Turkey travel advice, safety and security (updated 27 October 2026, checked 8 November 2026)
2. GOV.UK: British Honorary Consulate Fethiye
3. Wikipedia: 1957 Fethiye earthquake
4. DASK (Natural Disaster Insurance Institution): Zorunlu Deprem Sigortası tarife ve talimatı (tariff of 31 December 2025, with monthly limits for 2026)
5. Your Key Türkiye (General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre): information for foreign buyers
6. Milliyet: Muğla'da koruma kalkanı 1 Haziran'da başlıyor, onlarca ormanlık alana giriş yasaklandı (22 May 2026)

Keep reading

• Buying property in Fethiye: the TAPU, valuation and checks
• Fethiye, Çalış and Hisarönü: choosing where to live
• Healthcare and health insurance in Fethiye
• Consular help from the FCDO