Minister: 3,720 forest fires occurred in Turkey in one-and-a-half years

A forest fire in Menderes, İzmir, in August 2019 (Photo: AA)

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As many as 3,720 forest fires occurred in Turkey between January 1, 2019 and July 15, 2020, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli stated in response to a parliamentary question.

Pakdemirli also confirmed the "guaranteed flight hours" in the contracts with the companies from which firefighting aerial vehicles are leased.

"Because it is not possible for aerial vehicle owners to determine a price for an uncertain amount of work, daily guaranteed flight hours are applied," he said, adding that all tenders for leasing aircraft are in accordance with the Law No. 4734 on Public Tenders.

"The command regarding helicopters leased from the contractors belongs entirely to the administration. Aircraft management is carried out by our Ministry. Aircraft are dispatched to all required fires," he said.

The deputy who submitted the parliamentary question, Ömer Fethi Gürer from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said that Pakdemirli did not disclose figures regarding the use of firefighting aircraft.

"However, Mr. Minister did not disclose how many of the 3,720 forest fires that occurred over the past two years were intervened by aircraft, how much forest area was saved in the intervention on these vehicles, and how much money was paid to the company as part of flight guarantees during this period," he remarked.

Those who advocated this system, where companies get paid even if there is no fire, must disclose the amount of money paid for it, according to Güler. (TP/VK)