Officials aim to tackle risk of wildfires in Antalya

As the new fire season looms ahead, authorities in the coastal town of Antalya, the province with the largest forest area in Türkiye, have announced the completion of comprehensive measures to combat forest fires.

The General Directorate of Forestry's regional unit in the city has equipped its teams with a widescale arsenal of fire-fighting resources, including aircraft, helicopters and various vehicles.

Revealing the details of the efforts, Vedat Dikici, the directorate's Antalya head, said a total of six aircraft, including one unmanned aerial plane, and 10 helicopters, with one dedicated to administrative purposes, have been allocated to the region.

Furthermore, the directorate has acquired 51 first-response vehicles, 106 water supply vehicles (including two heavy tonnage options), 11 dozers, 12 trailers and eight excavators.

Dikici also pointed out that 1,381 individuals, consisting of technical staff, forest guards and workers, have completed extensive training on fire-fighting techniques, surveillance, communication and occupational health.

Regarding water resources for fire suppression, Dikici mentioned the presence of helicopter fire pools as well as 48 ponds, streams and rivers distributed across 240 locations in the city. Furthermore, 13 additional helicopter fire pools, procured through recent tenders, are expected to bolster the response capabilities, Dikici added.

Dikici emphasized the strategic placement of land vehicles throughout the province, explaining that they were stationed at 143 points with an aim to stay prepared for tackling any potential fire within approximately 15 minutes.