Seventeen forest fires in Muğla in five days

Photo: AA

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Seventeen forest fires occurred in Turkey's southwestern province of Muğla over the past five days, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).

Yesterday (June 6), a fire broke out in the maquis shrubland and agricultural areas in Bitez Neighborhood in the popular holiday resort of Bodrum.

The fire that spread quickly due to the wind was put off later in the day. The directorate said the fire was caused by lightning.

Some two hectares of forests were damaged in the fires in the districts of Seydikemer, Fethiye, Dalaman, Köyceğiz, Ula, Marmaris, Menteşe, Milas and Bodrum, according to the directorate.

In the 2,793 fires last year, Turkey lost more forests than the previous 10 years combined. The size of the burned forest areas was 139,503 hectares, according to the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) data. Muğla was the hardest-hit province from the wildfires.

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Meanwhile, the Muğla Governor's Office banned entrance to several forest areas until October 31 as part of the measures to prevent human-caused fires: Gökova Körfezi, Ula, Akbük, Datça Reşadiye Yarımadası, Güvercinlik, Göltürkbükü, İztuzu, Köyceğiz Gölü, Dalyan, Göcek, Faralya, Kelebekler Vadisi, Menteşe Kavak Forests and Yatağan. (TY/VK)