• Izmir Governor Suleyman Elban announced that entry to Izmir’s forest areas is prohibited for five months from June 1 to October 31.  
•  Governor Elban stated that this is to mitigate the risk of forest fires ahead of peak season. He announced further guidelines, including:
  • Prohibitions on lighting fires, barbecuing, throwing cigarettes, and burning wheat stubble in fields.
    
  • Agricultural, welding, and construction activities must be conducted with fire extinguishers at the site. 

Forest fires have impacted Izmir province in recent years, with 513 fires recorded in the city in 2024, including an incident that triggered flight delays at Izmir’s Adnan Menderes Airport in July 2024. In this context, the latest directive constitutes a preemptive measure ahead of the summer months, which feature an elevated risk of forest fires due to increased temperatures. The ban on entering forests likely aims to mitigate fires caused by civilian and business activity. FORECAST: Nonetheless, the risk of fires will persist in the coming weeks, as indicated by Elban’s announcement, in which he stated that 22 fires have already been recorded this year. In this context, authorities are likely to enforce the specified directives and penalize individuals who fail to adhere to them, as part of broader efforts to curb the risk of forest fires in the coming months.  

Those operating or residing in Izmir from June 1 to October 31 are advised to adhere to authorities’ directives and remain cognizant of the elevated risk of forest fires in the coming summer months.