Summer has become ‘forest fire season.’ With the warmer weather and the increasing number of man-made fires used as an excuse, the increase in forest fires continues to increase exponentially. Some summers, forest fires are even more frequent. Unfortunately, this summer has been just such a summer. As of yesterday, 55 forest fires broke out. This number is increasing. (See:https://www.sozcu.com.tr/turkiye-11-agustos-2025-orman-yangini-canakkale-manisa-p210038)
This situation has unfortunately led us into a cycle of rapid desertification of the country. Temperatures are rising every year. With increasing temperatures, the number of forest fires increases. Of course, the fact that the number of traitors burning down forests here is increasing every year is also a grave factor. In fact, there is no single answer to the question, “Why do forest fires occur?” They can be caused by one of the factors I’ll list below, or by different combinations of these factors, fueling each other.
Forest fires are briefly caused by the following:
1) Climate crisis:
Increased drought and dry weather due to climate change make it easier for fires to start. For example, a broken glass bottle thrown on the ground in dry and hot weather can start a fire. Sometimes, extremely hot weather can even lead to a direct fire.
Meanwhile, absurd posts about climate change and the crisis have been circulating on social media lately. These posts, designed to deceive the ignorant, claim that climate change is a fabricated concept and that the real goal is to control countries by making the Paris Agreement and related commitments. Frankly, I believe the fossil fuel industry is behind these posts. These campaigns specifically single out individuals unrelated to science and technology, emphasizing that the ‘climate change lobby’ is responsible for causing forest fires everywhere. I find these discrediting campaigns absurd and believe they are trying to impose the exact opposite of the truth on people.
Of course, we all understand that the vast majority of fires are caused by humans, but they are definitely not the same group that advocates for climate change. Quite the opposite. Those who believe in the climate crisis call for increased forest cover and do everything they can to achieve this. Those who develop this counterintuitive logic and launch campaigns on this issue, in my opinion, are the ignorant, ignorant people who are actually causing forest fires. Now, let’s take a look at what kind of people are causing these forest fires.
2) Human-caused fires:
- a) Fires caused by ignorance and a lack of culture: Unfortunately, there are many fires caused by negligence or accidents, such as stubble burning, cigarette butts, garbage fires, and barbecues. The root of this problem lies in the lack of adequate education among our people. If our people were raised with a love of forests, respect for the environment (for example, not leaving their waste outside in the forest like the Japanese), and a commitment to protecting the country’s values and nature, 99% of these problems would be eliminated. I recommend watching this video, which once again reveals our ignorance and lack of culture (we’re falling apart): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMikkFdNjmX/?igsh=ZXk3d201OXY5eHN0
- b) Fires caused by infrastructure problems: Power lines are still a serious problem. Fires caused by short circuits and neglected maintenance in the grid are countless. The organizations that manage the infrastructure have a significant responsibility in this regard.
- c) Fires caused by profiteering: There are forests burned by human hands for profiteering. If a hotel, restaurant, or other profitable facility is built nearby a burned forest, know that there’s something new going on. Let me give you another example. Excavation work discovered in the burned forest suggests that the forest was burned for mining: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMnksNpoZkp/?igsh=MWI5cGl6ZndyMmpydg==
- d) Fires set to terrorize the country: There are fires deliberately set to hinder Türkiye’s development, exacerbate nationwide problems, or support the political agendas of external and coordinated internal powers. In my opinion, these actions constitute a form of terrorism.
Meanwhile, we can observe an increase in the methods used in fires set both for profit and to create an atmosphere of terror. Beyond directly burning the forest, there are also fires started intentionally by leaving broken glass skewers on the forest floor and papers placed next to them to burn quickly, fires started individually or in coordinated ways, fires started with kindling, gasoline, or flammable materials, and many other methods. In my opinion, these actions constitute treason and should be punished in the harshest possible way.
The suffering of the good and the innocent
We have public officials and citizens working tirelessly against these traitors, but falling short due to technical difficulties, yet still doing their best:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNOIwyHvlgU/?igsh=eG10cXRkNmYzejIz
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLjwGbYtE_4/?igsh=MTZ4aHI1cDdiZDd1cA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNOLDBPBVfB/?igsh=MXQ4bjQ0NGtlZzR6cg==
Despite all these efforts, many citizens and animals have unfortunately suffered serious injuries or lost their lives in these fires after the fires became uncontrollable.
Our citizens trying to extinguish a forest fire with a demijohn: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLxyMYaIHFd/?igsh=MWp2bnV4b2ltZTdxNA==
Our citizens barely escaped the forest fire: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMdl_DEsIh4/?igsh=MWd6MGs2d2wzejI5aQ==
A shocked horse injured in a forest fire: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL2CEjPo_Fw/?igsh=MXJha2hldWF0MHkwbA==
Our firefighters flee for their lives: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNGLg4gqOiD/?igsh=MWgzMXc5bnNrZHd1
Animals rescued from the fire: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMpW66PtlNC/?igsh=MXNyYmxkNGxic3U5OQ==
A fox and its cubs injured in the fire: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DK2A53PIphT/?igsh=MWVxNmx0aGlzZjJlYw==
A resident of the complex protested against a shepherd trying to move his animals to safety: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNQB-4TIWlb/?igsh=YnpqcmE5YnhyYXIy
A man whose 95 animals were burned to death in a fire tearfully recounted his experience: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMcXQm0t-wL/?igsh=ZmFhdGZlNGUwNW4z
Storks who lost their lives while fleeing a forest fire: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNJFy-cIIcP/?igsh=MWgyaHl0azh3aHRkdg==
Recent-Term Consequences of Temperature Rise
Desertification accelerates when trees burn. This is because trees are the most important factor in reducing carbon emissions. Trees absorb carbon (plant grow and develop with carbon) and maintain the balance in nature. When trees burn, carbon emissions in the country increase. As emissions increase, temperatures rise. As temperatures rise, the number of forest fires increases, and this cycle continues to deepen.
Let me briefly summarize what will happen soon as temperatures rise:
1) Istanbul will become like Izmir, Izmir like Antalya, and Antalya like Basra.
2) The problem of drought will become even more acute, and people’s access to water will be severely limited.
3) As Türkiye becomes more desertified, its semi-desert climate will transition to a desert climate. Let’s not forget that the Sahara Desert, one of the hottest regions in the world, was once covered with vast forests.
4) All living things will be affected by rising temperatures and the desertifying climate. Life expectancy will decrease, and quality of life will decrease significantly. Chronic health problems will arise. Animals and plants, in addition to humans, will also be affected.
5) With the disappearance of forests, the country’s defenses will weaken. This will become a national security issue.
There is much that can be done
Despite everything, I believe we can change the cycle we are in, which is leading us to disaster. I have written about what can be done many times before. In this article, I want to summarize it for you again (the first seven items below are excerpts from my article, which you can read at https://serhansuzer.com/tr/yeniden-ve-erken-baslayan-yangin-kabusu/ . Article 8 and the following are additions I made to this article. I also moved the penalty item, which was ranked 3rd in my previous article, to 9th and further elaborated it):
1) Instant detection systems: Systems that detect forest fires as soon as they break out are needed. For this purpose, establishing a fleet of drones, satellite observation, and installing special cameras with night vision that can monitor temperature differences are important.
2) Picnics outside the forest: As Cihan Erdönmez stated, it is necessary to minimize human interaction with forests. In addition to this comment, I believe barbecues and picnics need to be reconsidered. These activities should be limited to certain areas and removed from the forest.
3) Energy revolution: We need to realize the energy revolution in our country as soon as possible. To achieve this, we need to rapidly transition to 100% renewable energy (within three years at most). Furthermore, energy efficiency, the use of fossil fuels as raw materials, and a shift to solar-electric and hydrogen vehicles and distributed systems (on-site production and on-site consumption) are essential. Furthermore, distributed systems, which are part of the energy revolution, can reduce the need for grids. Reducing the need for electricity transmission lines means eliminating the need for grids running through forests and potentially removing these transmission lines in the future.
4) Radical increase in equipment and manpower: We must ensure that the General Directorate of Forestry (GDF) has ample equipment and vehicles to cope with fires in forest and agricultural areas, and that these are managed with the discipline of an army. This means equipment, vehicles, and manpower 5-10 times the current capacity. Furthermore, inventories at institutions other than the GDF must also be increased. Let’s give an example: Turkish Aeronautical Association, or THK for short: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMoC3NUtnXA/?igsh=MTBoZHZ3cjY1dXhoMQ==
5) Organized volunteer support: It is necessary to organize millions of volunteers and ensure their organized work for this cause. We can consider this for everything from early detection of fires to firefighting (volunteer firefighting) and forest rehabilitation.
6) Environmental disaster tax: A certain percentage of the taxes paid by the private sector should be allocated to addressing environmental disasters. This is how we can finance the above-mentioned projects. This includes planting billions of trees and creating new forest areas. Of course, we must manage this process with 100% transparency, informing taxpayers where their taxes are going, and even giving them the right to choose.
7) Instant fire suppression systems: In addition to instant detection systems, there are systems that can intervene immediately before a fire even grows. Once a fire is detected, it can be intervened immediately, either with sound barrier systems that cut off the fire’s oxygen or with water towers built into the forest. Rapid fire response is crucial.
8) Forest Fire Fighting Unit (FFIU): A dedicated firefighting unit within the state needs to be established outside of the General Directorate of Forestry. This unit should focus directly on firefighting. I have repeatedly observed that the General Directorate of Forestry has failed to successfully extinguish fires. Indeed, the General Directorate of Forestry’s mission is to ensure the growth and maintenance of our forest trees, and to increase their number. Fighting forest fires requires military discipline. A unit focused on forest fires, much like homeland defense, must be established, and this unit must manage the immediate and coordinated response to all forest fires. All government units, civil society, and the private sector must be coordinated by this union, and a truly patriotic individual who understands science and technology, has been trained in military discipline, and must be appointed as its leader. Of course, this can’t be done by a single person. Under them, they must be a team of highly qualified professionals who are the best in their field.
9) The harshest punishment for those who set forest fires: After being apprehended, those who set forest fires must be punished with the harshest penalties. I’m talking about a process that can lead to life imprisonment for those who set fires intentionally after a swift trial. Those who set fires unintentionally should be given a sentence that isn’t as severe as intentional, but still very severe. These harshest penalties must be enacted and implemented without compromise. Intentionality is irrelevant. Because if we distinguish between conscious and unconscious fires, those who set fires consciously will lie to benefit from the discounts offered by those who set them unconsciously. The logic is quite simple:
Did you burn the forest, my friend?
Did you burn it while having a picnic or a barbecue? Did this fire start because of a short circuit in the grid you were responsible for, which you didn’t maintain at the electricity company you were responsible for?
Did you pay to have forest land on the southern and western coasts burned down so you could build a hotel (I consider those who ordered the burning and those who burned them the same)?
Did you deliberately set the fires on fire to weaken and disrupt the country as a puppet of foreign powers?
These people will be punished with the harshest penalties. The penalties will be equated to murder. After all, many of our citizens and animals lost their lives in these fires, and our trees and vegetation were destroyed. The burning of our forests significantly reduces the quality of life and life expectancy of our and future generations.
Here are some examples of traitors who burn forests:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLipzrhqQg1/?igsh=ZHZodnA1aTNlZ3Fp
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMsL5qqtkR0/?igsh=MW15OXppOXpocmY4Yg%3D%3D
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMqelX9iB11/?igsh=b2ttN3dzb3VtbzZj
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLcyDE0sEo_/?igsh=ZjAxMTU1aWptd2Vm
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLsjTLEsCkb/?igsh=aGpsZWR2c3dmMHdh
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIwYwelAFm4/?igsh=c2FwbDI2bjk0czZj
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLqORxiN7d2/?igsh=dWFwcGFmZHB6dnNi
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMo7H62CKP0/?igsh=MnV0bXRxamZmaHYw
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKuLiJKKMxs/?igsh=bmoyNW95bzY4eG85
10) Seize facilities built by burning forests for profit and impose financial sanctions: The state must identify and seize other profit-generating facilities, mostly HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes) or mining, built in place of burned forests. If there are still those with ill intentions who claim, “There are no hotels or facilities doing this,” simply follow the social media post at https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLk7gHYAZn-/?igsh=MXAyZndtdGswbW1uZw== .
The criterion here should be this: If a facility was built within 10 years of the forest being burned, then those who built it must have a connection to those who burned it. After seizing these facilities, they must also impose a ‘Forest Tax’ on the organizations that burn these areas and build hotels, requiring them to plant 10 times the number of trees they burned. Revenues from the operation of these seized facilities should also be used to meet public needs. A significant percentage of these revenues should be channeled to the General Directorate of Forestry, public health expenditures, and education. And of course, you can’t declare newly burned forests ‘Protected Areas’ leave them alone. The state will do everything necessary to ensure this area regenerates and becomes a larger, lusher, and healthier forest than before. If such a system is established, see if there are any bosses left with a neck to burn forests or have them burned. If they’re able to do so, let them have them burned.
11) Tree-planting campaign: A tree-planting campaign needs to be declared nationwide. We can start by planting 10 times the number of trees burned and diminished each year in designated areas of the country. I can’t give an exact number right now; I don’t have that information, but through the tree campaign, we should aim to increase our forest inventory by at least 30% each year. We can finance this by allocating a certain percentage of collected taxes, along with private support and donations to civil society organizations.
We also need to prioritize tree diversity when planting trees. Planting only pine trees isn’t enough. Starting with fruit trees, we need to plant different types of trees in harmony (See: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMnJCICtWZ5/?igsh=ejIwbWt1eHR2eWx4) .
It’s also important that our citizens take the initiative and declare a tree-planting campaign without waiting for the government. Some volunteer to prepare the seeds for planting, while others plant them in the ground. We can’t leave everything to the government; the state already has a heavy burden, so all citizens of the Republic of Türkiye need to do their best to plant as many seeds, seedlings, or trees as they can. Here’s a video titled “Making Seed Balls at Home,” prepared by the Izmir Provincial Directorate of National Education (after watching this video, you’ll understand how easy it is to make significant contributions to our country on our own, without waiting for the government):
12) Using the most advanced technologies to fight forest fires: As someone who comes from a technological background, I can say that this is quite possible. All potential technologies should be closely monitored, and those that serve the purpose should be purchased with government resources and immediately implemented. An R&D campaign could be launched in Türkiye to develop these technologies. Here are some technologies to help you visualize:
a) Fire-extinguishing drones: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLktedFN_FT/?igsh=ZHp0eGpxdjcxam00
b) IoT-based systems: Internet of Things (IoT) technology greatly facilitates fire detection and control.
c) Smart Sensors: Monitor various parameters for early fire detection. For example: https://www.dryad.net
d) Remote Response: Systems can be controlled via mobile applications.
e) Robotic Firefighting Systems: Robots provide fire responses in areas where humans cannot enter or where security is at risk. Here’s an example of firefighting robots from China: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMgJbvBIGXb/?igsh=ZjZvaTNkMDQxbjhm
f) Plasma-Based Fire Extinguishing: Plasma technology aims to stop combustion reactions.
g) Use of Nanotechnology: Nanomaterials are being developed to detect and extinguish fires earlier.
h) Fire extinguishing bombs: This could be a solution for large-scale fires that are very difficult to extinguish. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLspa_PI3ah/?igsh=cXMydTF3NGVrNDA4
i) Solar-powered fire extinguishing towers: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMp5yVEoCgv/?igsh=MTZjazkzNDRmem84NQ%3D%3D
j) Efficient and automatic sprinkler systems: Sprinkler systems can be used not only with water but also with other materials. For example, German AFT systems utilize patented water mist technology that provides high extinguishing performance with low water consumption. They use approximately 20 times less water than traditional water extinguishing systems (red extinguishers) while achieving the same extinguishing effect.
k) Protective shield for homes built near forests: There are various methods for this. You can do this either by using an irrigation system that will activate during a fire on or around the house, or by building a high-temperature-resistant wall. To help you visualize this, a solar-powered, water-based fire system can be used: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMm_BGEIpPl/?igsh=bWJzcmk0ODY3MXU0
l) Very large firefighting vehicles: In large forest fires, the highest-capacity vehicles should be used from start to finish. Here’s the world’s largest firefighting aircraft, the Boeing 747 Air Fire Fighting Plane, with a capacity of 74,000 liters (we need to buy at least one of these): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLwpPH5P0cD/?igsh=YWgybnlqMXd2dGdi
After listing the measures to be taken to escape this cycle of disaster that is rapidly turning our country into a desert, I now ask: Does the state have the will to do all these things without delay?
Bonus: If you’d like to learn more about forest fires, I recommend reading my past articles. I’m sharing the links to these articles below:
Nature’s blows are getting harder
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/doganin-attigi-tokatlar-sertlesiyor/
What can we do against forest fires?
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/orman-yanginlarina-karsi-neler-yapiyoruz/
The birth of a forest fire fighting platform
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/orman-yanginlariyla-mucadele-platformunun-dogusu/
The nightmare of fires starting again and earlier
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/yeniden-ve-erken-baslayan-yangin-kabusu/
Thoughts forest fire disasters raise
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/orman-yangini-felaketlerinin-dusundurdukleri/
How can we reduce the risk of environmental disasters?
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/cevre-felaketlerinin-riskini-nasil-azaltabilir/
Fires in Australia call the world to action
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/avustralyadaki-yangin-dunyayi-goreve-cagiriyor/
The greed behind the disaster in the neighbor
https://serhansuzer.com/tr/komsudaki-felaketin-ardinda-yatan-acgozluluk/
Note: I am sharing the following posts to help you visualize the magnitude of the fires that broke out this summer, especially in Çanakkale and other coastal provinces of the Aegean Region:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNOT92_t2pT/?igsh=MXF0c2lheW10NmIwcA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNOA0OFKhmy/?igsh=M2swbjE3cWt1NXk=
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNPouIeop48/?img_index=5&igsh=MTc3NGd1bXViOGNjNA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNPtzOBI2ce/?igsh=MXE4N3lmM2c2eGFxaA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNIxFrzINuJ/?igsh=MTVrcjd3ZHg4bGs1NQ==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNGH6gKM70M/?igsh=b2Q4emFzcjc4Z3E3
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNGH6gKM70M/?igsh=b2Q4emFzcjc4Z3E3
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNOqNDBM5C9/?igsh=ZWh5dnNwZW5ocjZy
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNNywFsoDLk/?igsh=MTl0eW9sYzBya3AyOA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNN2PBzoN1e/?igsh=MXQxcWtqemc3YnpoNQ==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNPDFpXCBFq/?igsh=NGpodWc4dXppdDJi
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNGUVWsNzcx/?igsh=MXNjYXllZmJxdjl6cA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL5UwfPKE2e/?igsh=dTR3OTkyeHpzZnFk
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNGL6_GiYA0/?igsh=MWhoMHR0aTZ1aGJtZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNPnzg9vAhL/?igsh=a3VmbGRvcm8ybHZz
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMnAODqPxeH/?igsh=aWpzOHoyZmhobGw2
