Foresters affiliated with the Muğla Forest Regional Directorate are on alert at all times to protect the “green homeland.” Foresters, who have to cope with steep terrain and hot weather that sometimes exceeds 40 degrees while fighting the flames, continue their preparations by carrying out frequent drills.
Forest workers who receive training to prevent the spread of flames try to stay in shape by participating in competitions such as laying down a hose and providing the earliest water to increase their ability to move quickly. Muğla Forest Regional Manager Mustafa Ülkdür emphasized that the training given in combating forest fires is extremely important and stated that being aware and prepared against fires is among their primary duties.
Stating that the teams are always ready for duty, Ülkdür said, “The firefighting is supported by an air force consisting of 14 helicopters, 6 planes and 1 UAV. More than 2,000 people are on duty, including land firefighting workers and other personnel.”
Ülkdür, who stated that there are a total of 51 fire watchtowers in their areas of responsibility, said, “In 29 of these towers, forests are also monitored digitally with camera systems. In addition, there are 402 fire pools to be used in response to fires that break out at points far from water sources.” Reminding that a large part of Muğla is a forest area, Ülkdür issued warnings that cigarette butts should not be thrown from vehicles, fires should not be lit in the forest and garbage should not be left behind.
Increase in Fire Numbers in Hot Weather
Ülkdür, stating that they have left behind the hottest June of the last 23 years, said, “We have encountered many fires during this period. We are facing a picture we have not seen before. These critical weather conditions create extremely difficult situations in terms of forest fires. Fires spread very quickly and we may be faced with fires that can turn into disasters. A total of 778 hectares of land have been damaged in forest and agricultural fires since January 1st.”
He stated that due to the extreme meteorological conditions experienced in 2024, there was a 73% increase in the number of forest fires and a 108% increase in the number of agricultural fires compared to the same months of previous years.
Ülkdür noted that due to the heavy vehicle and human traffic in Muğla, which is a touristic region, more sensitivity should be exercised especially during these critical periods. Ülkdür emphasized that early intervention is of great importance in combating forest fires, “We call fighting forest fires a ‘state of war.’ “If you are not prepared for this war through training and exercises, it is impossible for us to be successful.”He used the expressions.
