Thoughts After Forest Fires

Dear friends, sometimes a person feels trapped inside a box and cannot find the strength to react and escape. I realised that I had been in this state of mind for a long time. The worst part was that this state of mind was preventing me from doing what I love most: writing. Although I couldn't change the factors that contributed to this state of mind, I thought that even the smallest effort, like an ant carrying water to a fire, would be meaningful. So I chained myself to the computer and decided to write whatever I could.

We are living in a period when our country has become entangled in a web of problems. From the economy to foreign policy, from national education to forest fires, from domestic politics to justice, we are unfortunately far from understanding that the problems we are experiencing in almost every area are actually interconnected and occur as a whole. Today, I will try to look at the forest fires that are breaking the hearts of everyone with a human heart from the perspective of disaster management.

Forest fires are mostly a type of disaster caused by humans. Human factors can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect. Direct factors can be classified as deliberately starting a fire or fires starting out of control for different purposes (picnics, burning stubble, etc.). Indirect factors are elements that cause fires, such as litter carelessly thrown into forests and uncontrolled energy transmission lines.

Measures to be taken against forest fires can be evaluated as proactive and reactive. As seen in examples from developed countries, fires can occur despite all the measures taken, and in such cases, the firefighting process becomes the primary goal of disaster management. Public policy determining reactive and proactive measures is shaped according to the preferences and priorities of the political authority. It is a fact that in many countries, governments tend to consider the resources allocated to disaster management as an unnecessary ‘expense based on probabilities.’ Here, the priorities of the political authority have a more decisive influence on the possible effects of disasters.

Forest fires are not a type of disaster limited to primary effects. Damage to the ecosystem triggers secondary and subsequent effects. These effects usually emerge slowly over many years. For this reason, causing forest fires is a serious and grave crime in every country in the world. The perspectives of governments on forest fires are reflected in the measures they take or fail to take within the framework of public policy, as well as in their approach to the burned area after the disaster. The opening up of burned forest areas for settlement and habitation is generally seen in the context of political gain and is undesirable. The primary duty expected of public administrations and the state after a fire is to reforest the burned areas. This is not only a rational necessity but also a moral and ethical obligation.

In countries like Turkey, which have extensive forest resources with high biodiversity, it is expected that policies to protect forest resources will be developed and fire response systems will be established based on specialisation, equipped with the necessary resources, and supported by a strong provincial administration, regardless of political differences. In addition, it is a CONSTITUTIONAL duty to recognise that the fundamental principle in combating disasters is comprehensive action and to ensure that all resources are available and effectively used for this purpose.

The increase in forest fires in Turkey in recent years has inevitably drawn attention to the actions and inactions of the political authorities responsible in this area. The fact that the aircraft of the Turkish Aeronautical Association, which is the legacy of Atatürk, were left idle during the fires in 2021, and even could not be used for various reasons, and that the need for aircraft was met by signing rental agreements with various companies, and that effective methods known worldwide were sometimes ignored, and the delay in utilising the capabilities of the Turkish Armed Forces, as well as the fact that they were not sufficiently utilised in these major disasters across the country, have clearly been decisive factors in the increase in losses experienced by the entire nation. As can be seen in the fires that are still ongoing in many regions, it is clear that sufficient lessons have not been learned from past experiences in terms of disaster management.

The lack of equipment, firefighting aircraft and helicopters, and personnel shortages in responding to the fires have not been sufficiently discussed in the media. However, as we have all experienced during the fires, for example, the deaths of 10 personnel/volunteers during forest fire response efforts have sparked discussions about the lack of adequate training and equipment for Forestry General Directorate personnel. The loss of our forest martyrs has deeply saddened us. I hope that the necessary lessons are learned from this tragic event and that such incidents are not repeated.

Being aware of the value and lives lost in forest fires, I believe it is necessary to view this issue as a matter of national security for the future of the country. To this end, the lessons to be learned from these events must be compiled at an academic level, and reactive/proactive measures must be addressed in the public policy process. To this end, a broad social consensus must be established, and all authorities, institutions, organisations and citizens must act in accordance with their constitutional responsibilities within the framework of the rule of law, and those who are found to be negligent must be subject to criminal sanctions.

Article 169 of the Constitution states that "New forests shall be planted on the sites of burned forests, and no other type of agriculture or animal husbandry may be carried out on these sites. The supervision of all forests is the responsibility of the State." Hotels and tourist facilities built on burned areas are legal but not legitimate. In this context, I believe that construction projects such as the hotel currently under construction in Marmaris Kızılbük should not be permitted.

The current structure of the General Directorate of Forests appears to be inadequate in preventing and responding to forest fires. A robust structure must be established to ensure safety in forests. The existing fire monitoring system should be further developed and expanded using satellites and UAVs. More emphasis should be placed on technological tools and equipment, and a surveillance mechanism that enables rapid intervention should be implemented.

TSK personnel, police and gendarmerie should be trained in firefighting, and security and defence personnel should be assigned to forest fires in line with the principle of comprehensive disaster response. In this regard, changes should be made to the TAMP (Turkey Disaster Response Plan) to designate the Turkish Armed Forces as the main solution partner. In all countries around the world, armies and security forces are highly effective and powerful structures in responding to disasters.

In a country like Turkey, with its vast geography and limited forest areas, it is imperative that fires are responded to as quickly as possible using aerial platforms. In this context, Turkey's fleet of firefighting aircraft should be expanded, and if necessary, additional aircraft should be manufactured in Turkey and deployed nationwide. The fact that a large country like the Republic of Turkey does not have at least 100 firefighting aircraft is a shame for all of us. Mobilising Turkey's aviation and space industry, which manufactures its own aircraft, for our forests and ensuring that the required aircraft are acquired for our country is a duty we owe to future generations living in this country.