Türkiye forestry directorate flags heightened forest-fire risk over 10 days

What happened

Türkiye’s General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) has issued a public caution over forest-fire danger during the next 10 days. Forecasts point to hot and dry conditions in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions, southern Central Anatolia and south-eastern Anatolia, with strong winds also expected in some locations.

The immediate message for people in or near wooded areas is to avoid actions that could cause ignition and to report any smoke or fire without delay through the 112 Emergency Call Centre. Early reporting is a central part of the directorate’s warning.

OGM highlighted the “30+30+30” combination: temperatures above 30°C, relative humidity below 30%, and wind speeds exceeding 30 kilometres per hour. When all three occur together, the likelihood of a forest fire rises substantially. Wind can also increase the chance that a fire spreads rapidly.

According to EkoIQ’s report, the directorate is asking the public to exercise particular care on days when these weather factors coincide.

Why it matters

The warning identifies a near-term period in which weather can make a fire both more likely to begin and harder to contain. Heat and a lack of rainfall can dry vegetation, while low humidity and stronger winds can worsen the conditions for fire growth.

For organisations, workers and residents active around forest land in the named regions, the practical priority is prevention. Activities involving flames or any other potential source of ignition warrant additional caution when high temperatures, low humidity and wind are present at the same time.

Rapid notification is also important. OGM has specifically directed people who spot smoke or flames to use 112, rather than waiting for the situation to develop.

What to watch next

The directorate said meteorological conditions will be followed closely in the coming days. The current warning concerns the forthcoming 10-day period, so local weather developments—especially wind, humidity and temperature—will determine where risk is most acute within the areas identified.