The forested areas damaged by the fires in Muğla, southwestern Türkiye, are becoming green again due to the intensive efforts of local teams.
Three years have passed since the forest fires that started on July 29, 2021, in the Siteler area of Marmaris and later spread to Bodrum's Güvercinlik, Köyceğiz, Milas Beyciler and Kavaklıdere regions, continuing until Aug. 12.
Teams fought to extinguish 75 fires in the region for 15 days, and afterward, they conducted extensive work to regenerate the areas reduced to ashes.
Muğla Regional Director of Forestry Mustafa Ülküdür told Anadolu Agency (AA) that once the forest fire was extinguished, the necessary measurements and damage assessments of the burned area were carried out.
Ülküdür stated that they promptly cleared the burned trees to prepare the site for planting and sowing and added: "Later, the areas damaged by the fire are reforested according to appropriate forestry techniques."
"In addition to reforestation efforts through planting, more natural methods of seedling production are used. The most common method is natural regeneration, achieved through germinating seeds from the cones of trees in the burned areas," he continued.
Ülküdür explained that natural regeneration has been applied to 72% of the burned areas over the past five years. Soil cultivation and seeding were used in 9%, and terracing soil cultivation was applied in 5%. He noted that 14% of the areas were left to their natural state due to steep, rocky and stony terrain, making technical intervention impossible.
Ülküdür emphasized that out of the 60,000 hectares of burned forest area over the last five years, natural regeneration was applied to 43,200 hectares, soil cultivation and seeding to 5,400 hectares, and planting methods to 3,000 hectares. He added that 8,400 hectares were left to their natural state due to steep, rocky and stony terrain.
Explaining that the fight against fires continues resolutely, Ülküdür said: "In our region, approximately 60,000 hectares of forested area have been damaged in the last five years. Most of these areas are from the great forest fires of 2021 and the 2022 Marmaris Bördübet fire. During the major fires of 2021, 52,000 hectares burned, and in the 2022 Marmaris Bördübet fire, 4,500 hectares of forested area were burned."
"All of these areas have been reforested through natural means, seeding and planting methods. We are experiencing a dry year. We expect more sensitivity from all segments of society on this issue. We are going through this period when human and vehicle traffic is the most intense in our region."
"To ensure that vacations are not ruined and our forests do not burn, please stay away from fire during this period."
Ülküdür added that the teams are on alert 24 hours a day in fire-sensitive areas.
