Türkiye remains in a dangerous period for forest fires as high temperatures and increasingly strong winds continue to raise the risk, according to a forestry expert.
Dr. Halil Barış Özel, a faculty member at Bartın University’s Faculty of Forestry, said the country is experiencing a particularly challenging summer due to the frequency, intensity and strength of winds recorded this year.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Özel said Türkiye continues to face hot and windy conditions, with human activity remaining one of the main threats to forest areas.
The state's preventive measures have proven highly effective, as evidenced by a noticeable decrease in summer fires compared with previous years. Özel attributed this significant drop to strict bans on forest access and stubble burning in or near forests, alongside close monitoring and inspections.
He highlighted that heat and humidity have steadily increased through July and August, accompanied by strong winds outside the Mediterranean and Aegean zones. Urging caution, he appealed to the public, "We are still in a dangerous period. Please stay clear of forested areas and avoid any fire-prone activities while these high temperatures and heavy winds persist."
Although existing precautions are effective, the prolonged period of hot, dry weather poses a severe challenge this year, he warned. Extreme heat and wind continue to impede both ground crews and aerial firefighting operations, making it harder to control active fires.
Commending the teams for going beyond the call of duty, Özel emphasized that precautions must prioritize preventing fires from igniting.
"This green homeland belongs to us all," he said. "Please, do not harm wildlife and the forests whose shade we will desperately need when they are gone. Let us never forget that alongside all of nature, we are a whole, strong Türkiye."
Dispelling rumors about the fate of burned lands, Özel clarified that these areas are never allocated for other purposes and warned the public against believing such disinformation. He said Türkiye successfully rehabilitates its fire-ravaged woodlands and forest ecosystems with a 95% success rate, outperforming global standards.
Pointing to the coordinated precautions taken this year by the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM), the General Directorate of Highways (KGM), the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and local municipalities, he noted that 20-meter-wide (65-foot) safety zones have been created along major highways by stripping the land down to mineral soil.
"The goal was to stop discarded cigarette butts from reaching the woodlands by making them burn out on the dirt," he said. "This stands as another successful state intervention that played a key role in bringing down our fire numbers."
