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Turkey warns of 'wind and storm' risks for forest fires
🇹🇷 Turkey /Environment & Climate

Turkey warns of 'wind and storm' risks for forest fires

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Turkey's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, warned of strong winds and storms expected across many provinces this week.
  • Yumaklı highlighted that strong winds are a primary factor in the rapid spread and difficult control of forest fires, urging public caution.
  • The ministry is maintaining 24-hour surveillance with drones, watchtowers, and personnel, but stressed that public attentiveness is crucial for protecting forests.

Turkey faces a heightened risk of forest fires this week due to anticipated strong winds and storms, according to Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı. In a statement on X, Yumaklı warned that wind speeds could reach 80 kilometers per hour in many provinces, particularly along the coast.

"Strong winds are expected. Please be careful!" Yumaklı urged, emphasizing that high winds are a major cause of rapid fire spread and hinder control efforts. He called for "maximum sensitivity" from the public in the coming days, advising against lighting fires in open areas, burning stubble, and any behavior that could spark a blaze.

Strong winds are expected. Please be careful!

— İbrahim YumaklıMinister of Agriculture and Forestry warning about the dangers of strong winds to forest fires.

The minister reassured the public that the ministry is actively monitoring the situation with 14 drones, 776 fire watchtowers, and a team of 28,000 forest protectors. However, he stressed that technology and personnel are less effective than public vigilance. "No technology, no team, and no means can be as effective as the attention and sensitivity shown by our citizens," Yumaklı stated, calling for collective efforts to protect the nation's "Green Homeland."

No technology, no team, and no means can be as effective as the attention and sensitivity shown by our citizens.

— İbrahim YumaklıMinister of Agriculture and Forestry emphasizing the importance of public vigilance in preventing forest fires.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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