Çanakkale Completes Preparations for Forest Fire Season

Çanakkale Forest Regional Directorate announced that it has completed personnel, vehicle, and equipment preparations ahead of the fire season. Regional Director Enver Demirci also urged citizens to call 112 if they spot a fire.

Scraper SystemJune 18, 2026, 03:16 PM

Çanakkale Completes Preparations for Forest Fire Season

Çanakkale Forest Regional Directorate has finalized all preparations against potential forest fires during the summer season. Regional Director Enver Demirci stated that personnel training, vehicle maintenance, water sources, and surveillance systems were activated before the season.

Demirci reported that 155 forest fires occurred within the region last year, damaging 8,450 hectares. He added that reforestation efforts in the affected areas will be completed by the end of this year.

Personnel and Vehicles Ready for the Season

Demirci noted that 26 forest fires have occurred in their responsibility areas this year, damaging 13.8 hectares, and 91 non-forest fires were also addressed. He explained that 1,123 personnel are involved in firefighting, pre-season training has been completed, and on-the-job preparations are finished.

He mentioned that 89 fire trucks are ready at the regional directorate, vehicles have been made operational, fire-resistant clothing has been procured, and all teams have been reorganized for the season.

Increased Aerial and Ground Intervention Capacity

Demirci stated that fires will be fought from the air with 6 helicopters, 4 planes, and 1 drone. Additionally, maintenance and repairs of 25 first-response vehicles and 26 construction machines have been completed. He added that 27 watchtowers have been activated with trained personnel, equipped with 32 cameras operating 24/7.

He also said that water sources established in previous years have been inspected, and maintenance was done on 61 water collection pits with capacities ranging from approximately 600 to 1,200 tons. Furthermore, 326 water tankers have been distributed to forest villages.

Volunteers and Training Efforts Continue

Emphasizing the important support of forest volunteers in firefighting, Demirci said volunteers maintain constant communication with the organization and their training is periodically updated. There are 2,020 forest volunteers in Çanakkale, with 1,736 having completed their training and received certificates.

He noted that volunteers provide support during fires but are not preferred for frontline duties. Fire awareness training continues uninterrupted, reaching 13,727 people in forest villages by the end of April.

Demirci also mentioned ongoing educational activities in schools, reaching 40,000 students through 927 teachers across 281 schools. Roadside maintenance covering 1,044 kilometers has been completed province-wide, along with 107 kilometers of maintenance work to make villages more fire-resistant.

He urged citizens to be more cautious during the forest fire season and called on them to immediately call 112 if they notice any fire.

Çanakkale Completes Preparations for Forest Fire Season