Minister Pakdemirli: If They Want to Get on Fire Fighting Airplanes, They are Free to Do So

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The forest fire that broke out in Karabağlar, İzmir on August 18 and spread to Seferihisar and Menderes could be extinguished last night (August 21).

While over 600-hectare forestland has been blazed in the fire, the agricultural fields, houses as well as flora and fauna of the regions have been damaged. Municipality personnel, Directorate General of Forestry teams and local people joined the fire fighting efforts.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli has made a statement about the fire at the Tekketepe fire watch station. Indicating that there are opportunists of the fire, Pakdemirli has said, "There are some people trying to gain political or personal benefits from that."

'Our personnel do not want to get on the planes'

Pakdemirli has also stated that they are planning to enter the Guinness Book of World Records by simultaneously planting 3 million saplings in different places including İzmir, Muğla and Fethiye. He has invited everyone to plant trees on November 11 at 11 a.m.

To the question as to why the fire fighting aircraft of the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) are not used in extinguishing forest fires, Pakdemirli has given the following answer:

"We are struggling here to ensure that one tree less will be burned. But the lives of humans are important for us as well. When we rent planes from outside, we put the personnel of forestry on these planes. As they do not find these planes safe, our personnel of forestry do not want to get on the planes.

"If they defend these planes so much, then the planes are on the ramp. Engines of 3 planes are malfunctioned and 3 of them leak oil. Those who want to get on them are free to do so." (HA/SD)