Describing it as “one of the most comprehensive and strategic projects in the history of Turkish forestry,” Minister Yumaklı said the initiative will cover 7 million hectares across 14 provinces, directly or indirectly benefiting around 7 million people.

Climate Crisis and the Need for Resilience

Minister Yumaklı stressed the growing urgency of the climate crisis, highlighting wildfires as a global threat with serious social, economic, ecological, and strategic impacts. “This highlights the importance of international collaboration, information sharing and experience exchange,” he said.

Türkiye has emerged as a regional leader in wildfire response, with heavy investment in AI-based decision systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and public awareness campaigns. The new forestry project expands this leadership by focusing not just on fire prevention but also on building long-term forest resilience.

Key Project Components

• Climate-adapted tree species will be introduced, supported by new genetic labs and biobanks.
• Forest schools will be established to educate young people on environmental stewardship.
• A new digital radio communication system will be rolled out to ensure uninterrupted emergency response across all 14 target provinces.
• Support packages will benefit 16,500 households affected by recent earthquakes, with an emphasis on micro-enterprise funding for women to boost local economic participation.

Fast and Equipped Fire Response

Yumaklı highlighted Türkiye’s rapid advancements in wildfire intervention. Average response time has dropped from 40 minutes to just 11 minutes over the past two decades.

The country now fields its largest-ever aerial firefighting fleet, consisting of:

• 27 firefighting planes
• 105 helicopters
• 14 UAVs
• Access to 4,796 fire pools and reservoirs

In addition, the OTAĞ aircraft, designed for in-field coordination, has been fully integrated into Türkiye’s operational fire management system.

On the ground, 25,000 personnel, 1,786 fire trucks, and 2,742 initial response vehicles will be on duty for the 2025 fire season.

International Collaboration and Future Events

The ministry confirmed that European Forest Week will be hosted in Istanbul from October 20–24, 2025. Following the celebration, Türkiye will also host an international event focused on wildfire preparedness and innovative forest technologies.

Forestry Director General Bekir Karacabey praised the collaboration with the World Bank, noting its value in shaping more effective, internationally-informed forest strategies. “Diverse perspectives on fire management will help us build stronger, more resilient forests for the future,” he said.

With its blend of technology, education, climate science, and community support, the new initiative marks a bold step in Türkiye’s commitment to sustainable forestry and disaster preparedness.

Source: Daily Sabah

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To date, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality has distributed 258,000 olive, chestnut, almond, walnut, and carob saplings, covering nearly 10,000 acres of land with new growth. Citizens interested in benefiting from the “A Seedling at Every Door” project can apply through the link https://mugla.bel.tr/fidantalep or by calling 0 (252) 212 62 90.

Mayor Aras: “Our lands will be green again after the fires”

Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras, who is also the president of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union, reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to supporting local producers in the region, known for its fertile agricultural lands. He emphasized that the municipality is particularly focused on greening areas affected by the fires.

“After the fires in Muğla, we immediately deployed our teams to assess the damage to our natural resources and the losses suffered by local producers. Muğla, the capital of pine honey production, saw extensive damage to the beekeepers’ hives. As a metropolitan municipality, we will provide hive and beekeeping equipment support to help them recover. Additionally, with the distribution of fruit saplings, producers will be able to replenish the land damaged by the fires. While we cannot bring back our lost forests, we are committed to re-greening our scorched lands,” said Mayor Aras.

Source: Fethiye Haber Bülteni

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During this period, activities such as taking breaks and picnicking in designated forest areas, roadsides, and forest edges are prohibited. Citizens can enjoy picnics only in registered areas, where businesses will ensure fire safety and proper waste management.

Responsibilities for Businesses and Residents

Businesses near forest areas must take precautions against fire risks. It is forbidden to leave flammable, explosive, and other hazardous waste materials in or near forests. During welding operations, companies must have at least two 12 kg fire extinguishers.

The burning of stubble and vegetation in and around forests is strictly prohibited. This rule applies especially to neighborhoods within or adjacent to forests. Harvesting machines in these areas must also have fire extinguishers.

Preventive Measures and Inspections

Facilities and industrial establishments near forests are required to form their own fire protection teams. Municipalities will maintain construction machinery ready for immediate use in garbage storage areas near forests. Energy transmission companies must also ensure the maintenance of lines passing through forest areas.

Patrol systems involving the Forest Administration, Gendarmerie, Police, Coast Guard, and Municipal Police Units will be implemented effectively. The use of fireworks and similar materials in and around forests is banned, and this will be monitored by local authorities.

Public Cooperation and Safety

Citizens are urged to avoid activities that could cause fires, such as leaving combustible materials from vehicles. Fire reports should be directed to the 112 Emergency hotline. Trail hunting and unauthorized boat moorings in forest coastal areas are also prohibited.

This comprehensive set of measures aims to protect Muğla’s forests during the high-risk fire season and ensure public safety and environmental preservation.

Source: Gerçek Fethiye

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While most people are searching for the sun, however, news coverage of extreme weather conditions and wildfires has made us more aware of the consequences of extreme heat, such as intense rainfall, flooding or wildfires.

Southern Türkiye has experienced massive wildfires over the last two summers and, as a result, the country is running awareness campaigns and taking action to prevent wildfires, particularly those that are man-made.

Preventing forest fires in Muğla

In Muğla, which is one of the regions of Türkiye most prone to forest fires, the Metropolitan Municipality distributed brochures containing information about forest fires at bus stations, airports and ports to domestic and foreign tourists arriving in Muğla by air, land and sea.

Let’s Not Cause a Fire Disaster

The brochure includes the following message:

Dear guests; Welcome to Muğla, one of the heavenly corners of the world with its nature, sea, historical and cultural structure. We wish you a holiday that you will never forget, where all your expectations are met, everything you dream of comes true. More than 60 percent of the surface area of ​​our province consists of forest areas. This causes our province to be one of the regions where the risk of forest fires is very high in the summer months. Unfortunately, more than 90 percent of forest fires are man-made. Let’s be careful during the holiday so that we do not unintentionally cause a fire disaster. In this way, nature can continue to respond to the needs of future generations.

Things to be aware of

The brochure also includes details of things to be aware of that are relevant to everyone.

Although there are many causes of forest fires; ignorance, negligence, accident, carelessness and intent, a very large proportion are caused by human beings. For this reason, you should be very careful and aware of the risks, especially in hot summer months.

112 is now the only number for emergency in our country. 

If you see a fire, the emergency number 112 should be called immediately and the address should be stated as clearly as possible. Meteorological notifications made on television, radio and the internet should be followed, and you should be more careful and alert during the critical days and hours specified in these notifications.

It is strictly forbidden to enter the forest areas where entry is prohibited. Unnecessary fires should not be lit in the predetermined campsites, and the camp area should not be left before the fire is completely extinguished. The same precautions should be taken into account in agricultural areas such as olive groves and areas covered with maquis vegetation (heath, bush). A fire that will start here will spread very quickly and spread to forest areas. Inspections in the forests will be carried out and those who violate the ban will be penalized.

Garbage, glass bottles, cigarette butts, any other waste should never be thrown out of a moving vehicle as these can cause, what can quickly turn into, big fires.

The measures we take to prevent fire in our homes may save a whole forest from burning.

A fire that starts in a house close to a forest area can be the trigger of a forest fire if it cannot be extinguished in time.

If the electrical installations in your homes are old, they should be renewed, and residual current relays should be installed in fuse boxes.

Our chimneys should be cleaned at regular intervals. Soot accumulated in the chimney can easily ignite the forested areas with the effect of the wind.

Dry fuels such as pine ash and leaves accumulated in the roof gutters should be cleaned. These can ignite easily, causing a roof fire.

Each house should have at least one 6 kg fire extinguisher.

Weeds around our homes should be cleaned at regular intervals.

Mobile Fire Stations

Muğla Metropolitan Municipality has established mobile stations in Bodrum, Fethiye, Milas and Seydikemer districts for early intervention in fires that may occur throughout the summer.

The pioneer mobile station is in Bodrum Marina and will be able to immediately respond to vehicle accidents and possible vehicle fires in the city center, where there is heavy population and traffic, especially in the summer months.

In addition, mobile stations were established in Seydikemer Kadı, Fethiye Karaçulha Hali and Milas Koru Mahallesi. Mobile station teams will work between 11:00 and 19:00, which is the time when fire incidents are most common, and will quickly respond to fires.

Teams from the Directorate of Forestry Operations in Muğla’s Marmaris district, where more than 5 thousand hectares of forest area were destroyed in large forest fires in the last two years, distributed brochures to drivers at the district entrances and explained fire prevention measures.

Ministry sets 10-minute target for fire response

Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı has announced an ambitious target of 10 minutes for this year’s fire response time.

He highlighted the progress made, stating that the fire response time, which stood at 40 minutes in the past, is currently an impressive two minutes notification time, with a response time of 11 minutes.

According to the United Nations Environment Program, the world’s average temperature is predicted to rise by 6 degrees by 2100, with a 30 percent decrease in summer precipitation. The key to preventing this lies in protecting and expanding forest resources.

Highlighting the vulnerability of the country’s forests, Yumaklı reminds us that 60 percent of the country’s forests face first and second-degree endangerment.

Sources: https://www.gercekfethiye.com/turizm-merkezlerine-yangin-uyarisi/59759/

https://www.gercekfethiye.com/orman-mudurlugu-arac-suruculerini-yangina-karsi-uyardi/59783/

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ministry-sets-10-minute-target-for-fire-response-184218

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