Forest fires engulfing the Black Sea region started by humans, says minister

Duvar English

Humans are to be blamed for the ongoing forest fires that have engulfed Turkey's Black Sea region, and not natural causes, Forestry and Agriculture Minister Bekir Pakdemirli has said.

“Without a human intervention, so many fires could not have broken out. Due to the current temperatures, the nature-caused fires could have been initiated only with a thunderbolt, and since no thunderbolt struck the region, human factor comes to the forefront,” Pakdemirli said during a press meeting held at the Trabzon Governor's Office on Dec. 25.

The Black Sea region has seen surface fires in wooded areas of four provinces, losing hundreds of hectares of forest since Dec. 23 night. The fires are most dense in the Arsin district of Trabzon, with the district having lost many of its hazelnut fields and wooded areas.

“The fires that started in Arsin jumped to 15 other districts, in 65 points. Thank God no one has lost their life. This is what we are thankful for. The type of the fire is surface fire,” Pakdemirli said.

The minister noted the police will investigate if it was human negligence or malice that caused the fires. But, since Dec. 23, when the fires broke out, the police have caught a total of seven people who collected dry grasses in their gardens and then burned them in an attempt to clean their land.

“We remind our citizens once again that on the days when the wind is strong, they should not undertake such a cleaning of their gardens,” the minister said.

75 fires broke out in four provinces: Minister

So far, 55 fires broke out in Trabzon, while another 20 in the provinces of Ordu, Giresun and Gümüşhane. Of the 55 fires in Trabzon, two are still ongoing, whereas the rest have been brought under control, the minister said. The 20 other fires in Ordu, Giresun and Gümüşhane have been all extinguished, he said.

“Of the 55 fires [in Trabzon], 38 have been extinguished; 17 fires are still continuing, but 15 of them are under control, so two fires could not be still brought under complete control,” he said.

The minister said 190 vehicles and 650 personnel were at the moment working to extinguish the remaining 17 fires. The current low levels of humidity as well as the strong winds are the most important factors fueling the fires, Pakdemirli said.

Some 260 hectares of land, including hazelnut gardens and tea plantations, have been so far burnt in the fires, the minister said.

Surface fires burn the foliage that covers the forest ground, and are dangerous if the foliage contains flammable materials.