After one of the worst years of wildfires, Ankara is taking preemptive action against future disasters. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced on Tuesday that their fleet to fight the blazes will be backed by new airplanes and helicopters.
A tender process under the supervision of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) to acquire five amphibious planes, 15 large and small tanker planes and 55 helicopters was launched, the ministry said in a tweet, to fight fires in 2022.
The ministry said they would rely on leased amphibious planes until the process is completed, citing that the planes were “built on demand only.”
The country suffered from more than 2,105 forest fires last year that ravaged vast swathes of forests across Turkey. The fires that gutted hundreds of hectares of forests between July and August were the worst in recent memory to hit Antalya and Muğla, two neighboring Mediterranean provinces. They killed at least eight people, devastated villages and claimed the lives of a large number of animals. Soaring temperatures, low humidity and strong winds prolonged the fires, which prompted the evacuation of hundreds of people, particularly in villages near the epicenter of fires. Several countries had dispatched planes to help the extinguishing efforts.
As wildfires are common, especially during dry summer season, Turkey garnered experience in the fight through its forestry services' veteran firefighters. Though aerial support is crucial to contain fires, Turkey still relies on the personnel on the ground to prevent the fires from spreading. Along with firefighters, the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) of the ministry taps into the experience of volunteers. Every year, thousands of citizens are trained in fighting forest fires. As of 2021, the directorate had more than 23,000 volunteers and aims to increase this number to 100,000 this year.
The OGM’s 30 branches across the country oversee the training of volunteers, from theoretical classes on wildfire control to drills in the field. Volunteers are given certificates after they complete the training.
The directorate’s president, Bekir Karacabey, told Demirören News Agency (DHA) on Tuesday that the main purpose was to raise awareness about forest fires among the public. Fires often stem from negligence, like haphazardly discarded flammable materials left behind by picnickers, as well as from arson. “We value the public support and are grateful for the volunteers,” Karacabey said.
