Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has shaped a roadmap for municipalities to strengthen the fight against increasing fires and increase the city's resilience against disasters. The "Forest Fire Emergency Action Plan for Municipalities" study prepared by Izmir Planning Agency (IZPA) has been completed. The plan aims to make Izmir resilient to disasters and to set an example for other municipalities.
The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has prepared a “Forest Fire Emergency Action Plan for Municipalities” for combating forest fires. Offering a holistic and data-based roadmap that covers not only the moment of the fire but also the prevention and recovery processes for possible fires afterwards and in the future, the Metropolitan Municipality offers a comprehensive strategy detailing the precautions and intervention steps that local governments should take against forest fires. The aim within the scope of the action plan, which includes rehabilitation in firefighting, increasing resilience after disasters and long-term communication strategies, is to ensure that the city is prepared for a more resilient and sustainable future by making Izmir a part of the process with all stakeholders. The plan includes many applications from pre-fire technological monitoring systems to the education of local people, and from ecosystem restoration after fires to preventive steps against flood risk. In addition, vehicles, personnel, protocol and drills aimed at increasing the capacity of local governments as well as awareness-raising and inspection activities at the rural-urban intersection are also included. The plan, which will guide Izmir in combating fires, also aims to inspire all local governments.
The 12-month period was evaluated under 3 main headings
The Forest Fire Emergency Action Plan for Municipalities prepared by the Izmir Planning Agency includes a 12-month emergency action program to minimize the direct effects of forest fires and to direct the improvement processes in the short, medium and long term. Within the scope of the plan, a one-year period to be implemented from the moment the fires started was divided into three main phases. Accordingly; the first 48 hours were determined as emergency response, 1 week to 4 months as detection and rehabilitation, and 3 to 12 months as communication and planning.
It offers a holistic study
The first phase aims to respond quickly to the fire and minimize the damage. The second phase includes the assessment of the environmental and social impacts of the fire and the rehabilitation of the damaged areas, while the third phase covers the sharing of information about the fire, social awareness activities, and preparations for planning processes against similar events in the future and how they can be done. Many basic activities such as ensuring coordination in case of a fire, supporting extinguishing efforts, and identifying and protecting the damaged people, animals and natural areas in a way that also supports the “One Health” approach are also included in the content of the emergency action plan.
53-hour fire recorded
The Emergency Action Plan also shared the causes of the fires. According to the statistics for the years 2012-2023, it was announced that 87 percent of the fires were caused by humans and 13 percent by lightning. It was stated that İzmir was the city with the most forest fires after Muğla and Antalya, with an average of 2013 fires per year between 2023-165. The largest fire in the last 12 years was recorded on August 18, 2019. The cause of the fire, which lasted 53 hours and caused the burning of more than 4 thousand hectares of land, has not been determined.
An average of 12 thousand fires occur annually in Izmir
On 14 August 2024 KarşıyakaThe fire that started in damaged residential areas, industrial facilities and parks within the city. As of September 19, 2024, 116 hectares were damaged in 4 fires. The main cause of the fires in June was recorded as "stubble" fires. While the average annual fire number in Izmir is 260 thousand, 12 percent of this occurred in lands that are described as rural fires with no structures on them.
Attention was drawn to the risk of a second disaster
KarşıyakaThe vast majority of the forest areas that burned last year in constitute the area afforested as part of soil conservation and flood control works after the flood in 1995, in which 65 people lost their lives. The Emergency Action Plan also included the risk of a second disaster in the area that lost its vegetation.
What did Izmir Metropolitan Municipality do?
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, together with Izmir Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate affiliated with the Disaster Affairs Department, strengthened its pre-fire preparations by using technological monitoring and early warning systems against forest fires. 443 water tankers were distributed; fire prevention trainings of local people and training of volunteers were provided. Thanks to the first response team planning, teams deployed to critical points enabled rapid intervention. The Resilient Village Project, which includes emergency preparations in areas adjacent to the forest, and the city's forest fire risk map also supported pre-fire protection strategies. In addition, preventive plans against secondary disasters and post-fire ecosystem restoration works, as well as nature and soil protection measures were detailed. The monitoring and evaluation mechanism developed throughout the process, the effectiveness of the Smart Notification System (AİS) and other digital systems in firefighting were continuously monitored. The decision support process was managed based on spatial information with the disaster management information system AYSİS.
Some of the work to be done within the scope of the Emergency Action Plan
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality; will work to minimize the risk of flooding especially in urban and semi-urban areas at risk and settlements located within waterside ecosystems after the fire. Buildings in streams and floodplains will be identified. The status, effectiveness and renewal needs of the inversion dams and reclamation platforms will be evaluated and necessary steps will be taken. The impact of the ashes on drinking water basins and water ecosystems (lake, stream, sea) will be evaluated, precautions will be taken and the process will be monitored.
Fire-resistant plant species will be planted
The maintenance and recovery of burned areas will also be implemented within the scope of the action plan. Priority will be given to planting natural and fire-resistant plant species, and soil improvement works will be carried out considering the appropriate planting season. The capacity status of hydrants (fire hydrants) against a possible fire, their maintenance will be carried out and hydrants will be positioned in the places needed as a result of the examination. In addition, a joint study will be carried out in order to provide them with the Regional Forestry Directorate and to provide them at the points they need or need. Cooperation will be established between municipalities in the Aegean-Mediterranean region regarding forest, rural and urban fires and experience will be transferred.
Collaborations will be made with stakeholders
The number of vehicles, equipment and personnel of municipal fire departments will be reviewed. Capacity building activities including authorities and responsibilities will be carried out in order to use the fire department effectively. Protocols will be prepared regarding issues such as intervention, logistics and communication during fires by establishing cooperation and coordination with stakeholders such as the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) and AFAD. Communication, vehicle tracking system and fire coordination center will be reviewed and joint drills will be carried out. Awareness-raising and inspection activities will be carried out against fire outbreak causes such as burning stubble and burning garden waste at the forest-rural-urban intersection in order to prevent rural fires. Farmers will be encouraged to carry out maintenance activities by plowing stubble in their fields at the forest border, processing the area around electricity poles and disposing of flammable materials.
Fire hazard and risk maps will be created
Beekeepers, shepherds, construction and baler and combine harvester operators will be made aware of fires and trained on first aid in fires. If necessary, fire extinguishers will be provided and maintenance of vehicles will be encouraged. Fire-causing activities such as fireworks and sky balloons will be prohibited and inspections will be conducted. If there are wild garbage dumps, they will be closed and fire precautions will be taken around them. Fire hazard and risk maps will be created. A guide will be prepared for the protection of buildings and facilities against fires. Revisions will be prepared for zoning permits and protection zones in city plans.
