Forests the size of 3,000 football fields razed in wildfires in Turkey in 2020

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Niğde MP Ömer Fethi Gürer submitted a Parliamentary question about the number of personnel and vehicles used in firefighting efforts in Turkey in 2020. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli answered it a year later.

According to the Minister's answer, 3,399 forest fires broke out across Turkey in 2020, damaging 20,971 hectares of forest land. Pakdemirli said that six administrative helicopters, two amphibians (planes) and 27 firefighting helicopters were used in firefighting efforts.

Noting that the transactions to rent aerial vehicles to be used for firefighting are undertaken as per the Law no. 4734 on Public Tender, the Minister indicated that no planes were purchased by the Ministry, adding that the planes used in firefighting efforts were rented.

Why THK planes not used?

Minister Bekir Pakdemirli also answered a question regarding the Ministry's failure to use the planes of the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK). Pakdemirli argued that the CL-215 planes of the THK have outdated technology, piston engines and low efficiency.

"Due to the fuel oil used by planes with piston engines (airport does not have the avgas fuel used by planes with piston engines), there are frequently problems with recharge," said the Minister, adding that "the planes lead to a weakness in firefighting efforts as they cannot be used in an effective and efficient manner." He explained: "For the aforementioned reasons, in recent years, planes with Turboprop or Turbofan engines, which can more effectively intervene in fires, have been used."

Bekir Pakdemirli also dismissed the claims that the rented amphibians were given to the Ministry of National Defense. He said, "If necessary, our Ministry will rent new helicopters and planes. No new renting has been planned at this point. As of July 30, 2021, fires were intervened from the air with six administrative planes, 39 firefighting helicopters and three amphibians."

Commenting on the answers of the Minister, CHP MP Gürer has underlined that "it is the responsibility of the public institutions to minimize forest fires." Raising concerns about the damages caused by fires on nature and natural balance, he has stressed the importance of working with staff based on meritocracy and experience and a review of the systems of precaution, inspection and intervention to intervene in fires at earlier stages.

About wildfires in Turkey

The year 2021 has been marked by major forest fires in Turkey. The forest fires that broke out in Antalya's Manavgat in the Mediterranean region on July 28, 2021 spread in the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara, Western Black Sea and Southeast Anatolian regions.

As of August 12, 2021, 299 forest fires had erupted in 49 of the 81 provinces in Turkey. Eight people lost their lives in fires. No data has been published as to the number of deceased animals.

As the three fire-fighting planes rented from Russia fell short of putting out the fires, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Russia, Spain, Croatia, Qatar and Iran offered personnel and vehicle support to Turkey.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry did not use the planes of the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK), which sparked criticism.

As fires spread to residential areas, hundreds of villages and towns were evacuated, thousands were taken to somewhere safe by land and sea.

Only in Manavgat, 56,663 hectares of land were razed while this number was 12,935 in Marmaris, 11,898 in Bodrum, 1,629 in Köyceğiz and 685 in Gündoğmuş, which accounted for 83,810 hectares in total.

These fires razed an area larger than 15 percent of İstanbul's territory and the size of 118 thousand football fields.

According to the data of Turkey's Directorate General of Forestry, 68,579 fires broke out in Turkey in 1988-2019 and they razed an area of 336,824 hectares, which means that an average of 2,143 fires broke out and 10,526 hectares of land were burned every year. (HA/SD)