Forest fires have increased nearly 5-fold compared to last year

In June, a month marked by record-breaking temperatures in various cities across Turkey, the number of forest fires has increased nearly 5-fold compared to last year.

According to measurements by the European Union's (EU) Copernicus satellite monitoring system, with March, April, and May being the hottest months globally, the spring of 2024 has gone down in history as the "hottest spring of all time." Following a warm winter and spring in Turkey, temperatures in many cities exceeded 40 degrees in June, with record-breaking heat values recorded in some locations.

High temperatures have also increased the risk of fire. The earlier drying of undergrowth has caused flames to be more effective. Since June 1, when the forest fire season began, numerous fires have broken out in many cities.

According to data from the General Directorate of Forestry, while 84 forest fires occurred in Turkey between June 1-21 last year, 399 fires have been recorded in the same period this year, representing an increase of nearly 5-fold. During this period last year, 41 hectares of forest land were damaged, while this year, 2 thousand 548 hectares were affected.

Between June 1-21, there were 155 fires in non-forest areas last year, while this year, 551 fires occurred in non-forest locations.

JULY AND AUGUST HEAT EXPERIENCED IN JUNE

Prof. Dr. Murat Türkeş, a member of the Board of Directors of the Boğaziçi University Center for Climate Change and Policy Studies, told an AA reporter that Turkey has a "fire geography" where the danger and frequency of fires are high, extending from Çanakkale to the Adana region.

Explaining that fires normally become more frequent between July 10 and August 20, when the year is at its hottest, Türkeş noted that heatwaves have recently expanded to include May and September.

Prof. Dr. Türkeş stated that July and August temperatures were experienced in June, adding, "These show us that human-induced climate change and global warming are accelerating and becoming more effective."

BECOMING A FUEL DEPOT

Pointing out that high temperatures create negative conditions for forest fires, Türkeş noted the following:

"An increasingly warmer world, changing precipitation regimes, and similarly, an increasingly warmer Turkey, with the geography dominated by the dry and very hot Mediterranean climate tending to expand, along with increasingly higher air temperatures and the increasing frequency, duration, and intensity of consecutive heatwaves, all combine with summer drought to turn all vegetation, forests, maquis, agricultural lands, and pastures into fuel depots ready to explode and conducive to large fires. We have started to see this effect in June these days. In Turkey, when weather conditions that create high fire danger combine with climate change, forest fires tend to become more frequent and larger."

Prof. Dr. Türkeş emphasized the importance of transitioning from traditional crisis-based fire management to a risk-based, proactive, and holistic fire management cycle against forest fires.