Nearly 9-fold increase in area burned in wildfires in 2021

In Turkey's Mediterranean region and across the country, with a much harsher fire season than in previous years, the area burned this year has increased nearly nine-fold on average with the latest fires, according to an expert.

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According to a study by Istanbul University's Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Forestry, fires have become a very serious threat to the entire Mediterranean basin, while large fires are becoming a part of life.

In 2017, more than half a million hectares burned in Portugal alone, killing 118 people, including civilians and firefighters.

In Greece in 2018, at least 102 people were killed.

Even countries traditionally considered not prone to wildfires have been hit hard.

More than 23,000 hectares burned in Sweden.

Wildfire seasons in the Mediterranean have been prolonged in recent years - starting earlier than expected and lasting longer - with the number of fires and areas burning exceeding long-term averages.

This year, the situation is getting worse. A fire season is going on above average in the entire Mediterranean geography and much higher in Turkey.

From Jan. 1 - Aug. 5, the average area burned in 2008-2020 was 17,578 hectares, while in the same period this year, 157,482 hectares turned to ash, expanding the size of the area that burned this year nearly nine-fold of the average.

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Yusuf Serengil, an expert at Istanbul University's Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Forestry, told Anadolu Agency that Turkey has experienced the worst forest fire disaster in recent years.

He stressed that the disaster management process should be "data and knowledge-based," but also "transparent," that "involves volunteers," and those who work in the field as well as the public who support...

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