<p>​<span style="text-align: justify;">Evaluating the forest fires recently in Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Trabzon, Istanbul Aydın University Disaster Training, Application and Research Center (AFAM) Coordinator Serhat Yılmaz said &quot;Forest fires in Turkey is being recorded since 1937. According to data of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1 million 667 thousand 676-hectare area burned to ashes in 106 thousand 603 forest fires until 2019. This corresponds to one and half size of Cyprus.&quot;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>HOW FOREST FIRES AFFECT THE NATURE?</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yılmaz stated &quot;according to data of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, large or small forest fires were recorded between 1-14 October 2020. This expanse forestland damaged by fires, cause land vegetation and wildlife to be harmed, affect biogeochemical cycles negatively such as carbon-nitrogen-water cycle. Also, both in the context of forest-based lives and process of firefighting, important economic results occur. The damages of settlements and wildlife in forest fires in Hatay are an epitome of these effects.&quot;</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&quot;RISK AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT MUST BE PLANNED&quot;</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yılmaz said &quot;there are many methods such as observation towers and patrol systems to prevent forest fires, but these are insufficient. Thus, evaluating the process within disaster management cycle will be a better approach. In other words, two different phases must be planned as risk and crisis management. The forest fire risks of our country which is in risk phase, must be determined and a risk map must be prepared that risks are prioritization. This risk map should be prepared with the participation of all institutions and organizations having responsibilities in this field. So that, a proactive strategy can be carried out towards foreseen fire risks. Creating crisis management is the second phase of forest fire prevention. Strategies for how to respond to a potential forest fire case in the fastest and most accurate way, response strategies, how to turn back damaged areas into forest areas and improvement works should be developed in this phase. In addition, it is necessary to establish a legal infrastructure for the work to be done for both phases.&quot;</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&#160;&quot;COOPERATION OF DIFFERENT EXPERTS&quot;</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yılmaz stated &quot;If the works related to the improvement of a forest harmed by burning, are evaluated in the context of disaster management, these should be carried out in the crisis management phase. The only goal of these efforts should be to reforest the area as much as the least damaged forest area and to revive the natural life here. Collaboration of many different specialties will be needed for these works. Reforestation of the area as much as the damaged forest area and the revival of the natural life here should be the only goal of these works. For the works, cooperation of many different specialties will be needed. For example, The flora (all plants, fungi and single-cells in determined area) in the forest area where the fire occurred should be determined and forestation works should be done.&quot;</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&quot;RISK MAP SHOULD BE PREPARED&quot;</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yılmaz said &quot;Turkey Forest Fire Risk Map&quot; must be prepared and flora information in all forested areas in Turkey should be on this map. A similar study for fauna is also the same (all animal species living in a particular region). In this situation it is required to benefit from sciences such as botanical, zoology, geology and sociology in regenerating harmed forests areas. Because there will be need of experts&#39; studies that require long processes from different disciplines for bringing harmed animals different dimensions or totally disappeared liveliness area.&quot;</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&quot;NATURE IS THE UNIQUE ELEMENT&quot;</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Emphasizing that the unique element in editing rules was the nature in planting works in the burned forest area, Yılmaz also stated &quot;More clearly, we need to get knowledge about flora of all the area that the fire occurred. Because according to natural conditions of the area, flora takes form in time. Thus, firstly works of determining flora information should be done for forest fields. Those information will determine planting works after forest fire occurred in any area.&quot;</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>&quot;BURNED FORESTS CAN NOT REVERT BACK&quot;</strong></p><p>Yılmaz said &quot;Forest lands form in thousands of years, so, it is not possible that a burned forest to revert back properly. However, we can make rehabilitations and works that support this process within natural motion. As I mentioned before, for this support or rehabilitation works, we need to have knowledge of these forestlands, determine the current and potential risks towards those areas, take precautions and plan how to act in possible fire case.&quot;</p>