12 July 1999
Report by GFMC correspondent Ertugrul Bilgili, Trabzon University:
Due to above-normal level weather conditions (especially high temperatures), several fires have been reported to be burning. All of the fires are either put out or under control. The only fire that has received the most attention is the one that started on last Friday, 9 July 1999, in Canakkale province. Before the fire was completely under control it had affected areas close to the site where the Greater Gallipoli forest fire devestaded some four thousand hectares of plantations in 1994. The fire was first attacked by the initial attack crews ten minutes after the fire report. However, despite the efforts of initial attack crews, due to the unfavorable weather conditions the fire kept growing. With the help of standby crews, villagers on standby, bulldozers, fire trucks, helicopters and military personnel, fire was taken under control. Mop up operations are currently underway (as of 12 July 1999). The area affected is about 40 ha.
A bulldozer operator had a heart attack and died during fire fighting. Three soldiers were wounded when a military fire truck turned over on the way to the fire. To fight the fire, along with the available fire crews, 50 people on standby, 4 helicopters, 10 fire trucks, 3 bulldozers and 150 soldiers participated in fire suppression. The fire assumably has been caused by a gas leak of a farm tractor which later cought fire.
As of 12 July 1999 the overall fire situation in Turkey is as follows:
Total number of fires to date this year : 578 (last year: 442)
Area burned : 831.63 ha (last year: 1492.17 ha)
Number of fires under control : 7