Professor Ertuğrul Bilgili from Karadeniz Technical University's (KTÜ) department of forestry told Sunday's Zaman that forest fires are responsible for the destruction of thousands of hectares of forested areas each year.

"Fires threaten the sustainability of our forests and cause irreversible damage each year. Turkey has around 21.2 million hectares of forested area, but almost half of them are situated in zones susceptible to fire. A total of 1.6 million hectares of forested area has been affected by fires since 1937, and there has been a significant increase in the number of forest fires in the last couple of years," he stated.

Turkey's fire season began last Thursday in western İzmir province after a farmer set fire to an area to clear it of weeds and the blaze burgeoned out of control. Difficult terrain and winds helped the fire spread over a wide area in a very short time, scorching nearly 200 hectares of forested area.

Consecutive fires erupted in such varied areas of Turkey as western İzmir's Menemen district, southern Antalya's Göynük and Alanya districts, northwestern Burdur's Bucak district and northwestern Çanakkale's Eceabat district, incinerating hundreds of hectares so far.

Bilgili emphasized that social, economic and cultural causes underlie forest fires.

"Of all forest fires, 5 percent are caused by natural factors such as lightning while the remaining 95 percent are caused by humans. While around 12-15 percent of forest fires result from deliberate human actions, such as arson, almost half of all forest fires stem from negligence. When you examine the causes of these fires, you will find that they are related to social, economic and cultural factors. This situation is one that is very important to understand in terms of setting up plans to prevent these fires. In this sense, the planning of forest fire prevention must take place within not only areas vulnerable to forest fires, but also while keeping in mind the social, economic and cultural needs and expectations of the locals living in these areas," he remarked.

He also linked forest fires to climate change, alleging changing weather conditions are the primary reason that gives rise to forest fires.

"As a result of climate change, an increase in average temperatures and irregular precipitation increases the risk of fire even in zones that are not very susceptible to fires. Thus, we may expect destructive forest fires even in the central Black Sea and western Black Sea regions in the future," he stated.

A statement sent to Sunday's Zaman by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry said the ministry has taken sound steps and measures to prevent forest fires this summer.

"There are two essential points to be complied with while fighting against forest fires. The first one is to prevent fires and the second is to extinguish them before they turn into a national disaster through effective planning and organization," read the statement.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Turkey is more successful than many European countries in its fight against fires, which has proven effective in the last couple of years. While Turkey lost only 0.16 percent of its forested area in fires that have erupted in the last five years, France lost 0.81 percent, Spain 2.61 percent, Italy 3.06 percent, Greece 4.87 percent and Portugal lost 30.68 percent.

"Our ministry has examined forest fires that took place in 2007 to determine their cause and starting point so that they can be more efficiently combated. As part of efforts to be exerted to this end, we have decided to appear on radio and TV shows to inform the public about forest fires and their irreversible effects; pay visits to villages situated in fire-prone zones; raise the level of consciousness about fires among hunters, farmers and shepherds; and distribute to the public brochures bearing information on forest fires," read the statement. The ministry also plans to send a team of experts to 3,500 villages around the country to inform villagers about forest fires. Forest rangers, armed with the necessary equipment to fight fires, will be posted at 775 observation towers to spot even the smallest of fires. Around 20,000 forest rangers, trained by the ministry, will be assisted by the military in their efforts to extinguish fires.

A total of 152 bulldozers, 128 scrapers, 143 water tankers, 366 multi-purpose vehicles and 110 trailer trucks will be put under the forest rangers' command. The ministry has also constructed more than 600 artificial lakes and ponds in fire-prone areas to date.

Bilgili, however, stated that an effective fight against fires does not totally eliminate the risk of forest fires.

"The success we have achieved in the fight against fires is a result of undaunted efforts of our firefighters and forest rangers as well as our public's love of forests. Yet if intervention in fires includes factors that may distort ecological balances, it may bring with it undesired results," he said.

He also argued the fight against forest fires should have a scientific basis.

"Though Turkey has the required equipment and human power to successfully fight fires, it still faces a serious risk of forest fires. One of the main reasons is that we are unable to benefit sufficiently from scientific research into such natural disasters. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry and universities do not pay much attention to such research. However, as forest fires are a multi-dimensional phenomenon, their social, economic and ecological aspects should be examined. Thus, we need to conduct more scientific research in these areas," he added.

The Diyarbakır Governor's Office released a statement and called on farmers to exert special caution while clearing their fields of weeds.

"Farmers who set fire to areas to clear them of weeds should refrain from such acts. Doing otherwise will be met with fines. Setting areas on fire damages the soil and causes environmental pollution. These fires easily spin out of control with the help of winds and spread over a wide area in a short period of time. For sustainable agriculture, weeds and brush in fields should not be set on fire; they should be buried in the soil," read the statement.


TODAYSZAMAN