Losses of Citizens due to Forest Fires to be Covered
Losses of Citizens due to Forest Fires to beCovered
23 August 2006
published by www.zaman.com
Turkey — Citizens suffering losses during thissummer’s forest fires will be compensated, the Turkish Environment and ForestryMinister Osman Pepe said on Tuesday.
Minister Pepe visited Bodrum where a forest fire was still raging.Accompanied by the Mugla governor and other officials, Pepe held a pressconference to brief the media on the latest developments.
Turkey is experiencing its hottest August of last two decades withtemperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, Pepe said. Winds, carelessness andsometimes deliberate arson have been the reasons for the wave of forest fires.
“All fire-fighting teams are doing their best to contain the fires withthe help of fire-fighter planes and helicopters as well as constructionmachinery”, remarked the Environment Minister.
Large areas with honey-bee hives and olive groves were damaged in the forestfires of the past few days.
The Environment and Forestry Ministry issued a circular on Monday orderingall 81 governor’s offices in Turkey to ban entry to forestry areas until furthernotice.
Turkey has suffered 1,448 forest fires so far this year that destroyed 2,533hectares of forest throughout the country.
