A joint call from Bursa: Public participation and public control are essential in combating forest fires!

OUR LIVES ARE BURNING, OUR FUTURE IS TURNING TO ASHES

The full statement is as follows:

First and foremost, we would like to thank the personnel and volunteers of all public institutions and organizations, especially the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM), who are involved in extinguishing the forest fires. We wish them success in their work. We offer our condolences and offer our deepest sympathies to the citizens and their families who lost their lives in the fires.

According to OGM fire statistics, a total of 1,907,000 hectares of forest land have burned in our country in the last 88 years. The annual average of burned areas is 21,600 hectares. The number of fires in 88 years was 126,000, with an annual average of 1,400. However, in the last decade, this average has increased to 2,700 and broke a record in 2024, reaching 3,800. With the impact of global climate change, the number and impact areas of forest fires are increasing day by day. In addition to global climate change, this increase is due to reasons such as the number of mining permits issued every year and the lack of fire culture among workers working in mining sites, causing the real problems to be ignored and responsibilities to be underestimated. In order to prevent fires;

∙ Identifying risky areas,

∙ Taking necessary precautions to intervene in fires in these areas,

∙ Determining the measures to be taken at the agriculture-forest interface,

∙ Making forests, agricultural areas and buildings fire resistant,

∙ It is of great importance that these actions, such as the implementation of current legal regulations regarding fire, are completed without interruption and in a developed manner.

In recent years, the intense use of permits and easements on forests, along with the deforestation practices implemented under Article 16 and Article 2/B of the Forest Law No. 6831, are rapidly fragmenting and hollowing out our forests. The demographics of forest villages have changed, and the young population has vanished. The mandatory age limit system for those aged 18-45 has been abolished, and the implementation of a voluntary system has reduced the success rate of intervention.

Fire prevention measures cannot be taken in areas within forests, at forest edges, or in areas removed from the forest. Furthermore, human activity devoid of a fire culture contributes to an increase in fires. To strengthen the fight against forest fires, it is crucial to raise public knowledge and awareness to accurate and high levels. In this regard, it is necessary to listen to the opinions of experts and NGOs working on the subject and ensure their widespread media coverage. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to eliminate the negative effects of misinformation. Given the increasing number of fires, it will be impossible to prevent fires and their effects by increasing firefighting capabilities and implementing projects and preparations focused on extinguishing them.

Instead of strategies focused solely on firefighting, the solution will be to address fires more effectively, with a strong focus on preventing fires, and to intervene promptly, at the source, safely, and effectively, with a focus on public participation. Wherever the problem lies, so too will the solution. Addressing the fire problem with those responsible for causing it should be a primary goal. 99% of fires are human-caused, stemming from the activities of people living in and around forests. Therefore, developing "people-focused" projects to minimize the number of fires is essential. Fires are largely caused by regular and timely maintenance of power lines, including undergrounding them if necessary, preventing stubble burning or taking measures to prevent stubble-related fires from spreading to the forest, fostering a fire-safe society with a strong fire awareness and a habit of picnicking without fires, regular inspection and maintenance of flammable materials at settlement-forest intersections, and providing tourism facilities with the necessary infrastructure for fire prevention and suppression. These measures can be taken to reduce the number of fires. Implementation of these measures is only possible through policy adoption and implementation. To prevent fires at their source, starting with fire-prone areas, a community must be created in all living spaces, including those fully prepared for fires, sensitive to nature and fires, embracing environmental issues, trained and organized in almost every aspect of fire prevention (building, forest, and other open-space fires, first aid, agricultural activities, evacuations, etc.), knowledgeable about fire survival, taking precautions, and able to safely respond to newly started fires when necessary. In other words, a firefighting culture must be established for those living or residing in forested areas and their surrounding areas. In these kinds of activities, the organization, support, training, and cooperation of local communities with fire-related institutions, local governments, and relevant non-governmental organizations is crucial for fire prevention and intervention. Such activities, conducted with the public, are believed to be solution-oriented, more economical, and more effective in preventing fires.

Emergency measures to be taken in fighting fires:

The shortage of permanent forestry workers must be addressed immediately. The causes of fires must be largely determined, and measures must be taken based on this and the region. Energy companies should be subject to independent audits, and deterrent sanctions should be implemented. Pole bases must be covered with concrete or gravel. Particular attention should be paid to establishing dozer lanes around fires at night; this practice should be made mandatory, and this regulation should be added to the legislation. Legal regulations regarding fires should be immediately revised to reflect current conditions. Forests, buildings, agricultural areas, and agricultural-forest-residential areas should be made fire-resistant. Priority should be given to pre-fire measures and fire prevention measures. Volunteer fire teams should be established, supported, and trained from those living in and near forests. A participatory society should be created that is fully prepared for fires, sensitive, and committed to the environment. Further fragmentation of forests should be prevented.

As is the case throughout our country, fires have caused significant losses in our city. Air support is critical in extinguishing these fires. Firefighting aircraft and helicopters, as well as ground crews, play a vital role in fighting the blazes.

To prevent our city from being left helpless against forest fires, it is essential to establish a strong and comprehensive air force. As a first step, the firefighting fleet must be expanded and Yunuseli Airport must be used as a firefighting air base. Yunuseli Airport is well-suited for the establishment, training, and exercises of the firefighting air force, and is also very close to the water resources that firefighting aircraft and helicopters need to reach during a disaster. Yunuseli Airport's accessible, level terrain, and proximity to residential areas clearly offer the potential it offers both as a post-disaster gathering place and as an urban open-green space. Its transportation infrastructure and runway facilities will also be vital in the event of an emergency.

As a result, forest fire management;

It is a comprehensive process consisting of many components, from eliminating the conditions that cause fires to establishing fire-resistant forests, from strengthening ground crews and vehicles to the effective use of aircraft, from qualified managers to the correct implementation of relocation practices, from post-fire production and marketing to carrying out ecologically based repairs.

This process has become even more complex as fires begin to impact human life and settlements. These emerging conditions demonstrate the need for an integrated forest fire management system that encompasses all ecological, biological, socioeconomic, and cultural processes. We respectfully announce this to the public. July 10, 2025

SIGNATORY ORGANIZATIONS AND POLITICAL PARTIES

Bursa City Council, Osmangazi City Council, Nilüfer City Council, Gemlik City Council, Mudanya City Council, TMMOB, Bursa Bar Association, KESK, DOĞADER, Bursa Chamber of Medicine, Bursa Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons, Chamber of Agricultural Engineers Bursa Branch, Chamber of Mechanical Engineers Bursa Branch, Chamber of Chemical Engineers Bursa Branch, Chamber of Electrical Engineers Bursa Branch, Chamber of Architects Bursa Branch, Chamber of Interior Architects Bursa Branch, Chamber of Textile Engineers Bursa Branch, Chamber of Landscape Architects Bursa Branch, Turkish Agriculturalists Association Bursa Branch, Turkish Foresters Association Bursa Representation, Tarım Orkam-Sen, Eğitim-Sen, SES, Yapı-Yol-Sen, ESM, BES, Tüm Bel-Sen, DİSK, All Teachers Union, All Retirees Union Bursa Branch, 2021 All Retirees Union Bursa Branch, UMUT-SEN, BADIS Bursa Literature and Art Association, New Generation Village Institutes Association Bursa Branch, Artvin Art Culture and Social Solidarity Association, Koza Culture Art and Nature Association, Bursa Water Collective, Bursa Dersim Association, Demeter Egalitarian Women's Association, Bursa Homeland Lovers Association

CHP Bursa Provincial Headquarters, TİP Bursa Provincial Organization, Left Party Bursa Provincial Organization, Dem Party Bursa Provincial Organization, Labor Party Bursa Provincial Organization, Green Left Party Bursa Provincial Organization, SODAP Bursa Provincial Organization