Izmir Metropolitan Municipality is developing effective combat formulas against forest fires that have increased with temperature increases, one of the effects of the climate crisis. Izmir Fire Department, which works 30/62 in 7 stations in 24 districts, once again distributed water tankers to increase the resistance of rural areas against fires and to intervene in possible fires before they grow. The critically important tankers were delivered to 17 mukhtars in 85 districts.
The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality continues to distribute tankers to rural areas to strengthen its fight against forest fires. Of the 30 tankers purchased this year with an investment of 125 million lira, 40 were delivered to villages last May. The remaining 85 tankers were delivered to the mukhtars in a ceremony held in the Karakızlar Village of Torbalı. The ceremony was attended by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Dr. Zafer Levent Yıldır, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality CHP Group Deputy Chairman Altan İnanç, Torbalı Mayor Övünç Demir, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General İsmail Mutaf, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department Director Yaşar Korkmaz, mukhtars and village residents. Levent Yıldır and Övünç Demir arrived at the ceremony area using a tractor. Yıldır also distributed roses to the women in the village.
He drew attention to the effects of the climate crisis
Speaking at the program, Zafer Levent Yıldır touched upon the effects of the climate crisis. Yıldır said, “As you know, the biggest problem of our world is called the climate crisis. It is useful to remember the results of the climate crisis. The biggest results are drought, decrease in humidity, changing climates and the natural events we encounter as a result of these. And today we are talking about one of the most important disasters that brings us together, fire.”
Criticized the regulation on olive groves
In his speech, Yıldır, who reminded that the regulation regarding the opening of olive groves to mining activities was accepted in the Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology Commission of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), said the following: “All our mayors and our party absolutely reject this. We know that this will bring about deforestation and destruction of nature in the coming period. If we cannot create a new nature, we need to look at ways to embrace the existing nature. If we are talking about evaluating the existing nature and the opportunities it provides us, then a very important concept comes before us. That is sustainability. The things we do today should not appear as new problems in the coming periods. We need to be very careful about everything we do, from spraying to water usage.”
“Villagers protect the forests”
He emphasized that the muhtars and villagers have been protecting the forests and trees for years, and said, “If they had not protected nature, we would have long since become a desert. I appreciate what they have done. We will continue to act within the framework of the preliminary preparations we have made in the upcoming process. Our sole purpose is for this beautiful city to have a much more livable climate. All our efforts and endeavors are for this.”
“We are trying to provide service in a difficult process”
Torbalı Mayor Övünç Demir touched upon the economic problems experienced by the municipality and said, “While the budgets of our municipalities are being restricted, we are also trying to produce services. Our Mayor Cemil is ahead, and we will continue to provide our services no matter what the cost, behind him. May these tankers bring good luck to all our neighborhoods.”
“It is important for our villages to be prepared for fire”
Torbalı Karakızlar Neighborhood Headman Niyazi Soytürk touched on the importance of the distributed tankers for the villages and said: “These tankers are important for our villages to be prepared against forest and land fires that increase in the summer months and for the safety of life and property of our citizens. Yesterday, a fire broke out in our neighboring neighborhood Karaot due to a welding machine. Two of our houses and over 50 acres of olive groves burned. We made the first intervention in this fire with fire tankers. Later, firefighters extinguished the fire.”
Tankers were given to 17 people in 85 districts
Following the program, 17 village headmen from 85 districts received the tankers. Thus, a total of 30 out of 600 rural neighborhoods in 587 districts received trailer-type fire tankers. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department operates 30/62 in 7 stations in 24 districts. The metropolitan municipality strengthens its fight against fires with 761 fire volunteers.
Effective intervention with environmentally friendly tankers
The newly purchased trailer-type fire tankers also stand out with their environmentally friendly features. Fires will be extinguished more effectively by using liquid fire extinguishing agents, and environmental damage will be minimized. In addition, thanks to the rapid mobilization of the tankers, fires that may occur all around Izmir can be intervened in a shorter time.
