What to do when caught in flames

Üsküdar Üniversitesi Institute of Natural Sciences Deputy Director Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl made evaluations regarding the forest fires that have been on the agenda due to fires continuing for a week in many parts of the country, especially Antalya Manavgat and Muğla Marmaris.

Glass bottles, broken glass, and plastic bags invite forest fires

The fight against ongoing forest fires in various parts of our country continues in a multi-faceted way. Experts, drawing attention to the causes of forest fires, point out that logs thought to be extinguished in forested areas can re-ignite later. Experts, warning that glass bottles, broken glass, or plastic bags cause fires, list the precautions that can be taken. Experts also explain what to do if caught in the middle of flames…

Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl noted that the causes of forest fires can be varied, stating, “There can be many causes for forest fires. Barbecues left believing they are extinguished, or a log thought to be extinguished, can also cause a fire. When water is poured on the outside of a burning log, even if the exterior appears extinguished, it continues to burn internally. We saw this in the Manavgat fire. Some of the trees in the area extinguished by the fire department were observed to re-ignite from their hollows.”

Glass bottles and trash bags can also cause fires

Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl stated that high-voltage power lines passing over forests can also cause fires, saying, “Cables that sag with heat can touch each other due to the wind or break in strong winds, which can start a fire. Glass bottles left on dry grasses in the forest, or even broken glass bottles, can cause fires. With high heat, glass can act as a magnifying glass, focusing solar rays and serving as an ignition source. Dark-colored bags and trash bags left on the grass at the edge can also start fires due to some products inside them spontaneously igniting.” he warned.

Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl noted that pine cones are like compressed resin in their structure, stating, “When pine cones ignite, these compressed resins inside them propel the burning cone for meters, much like rocket fuel igniting and launching a rocket. This means there is a possibility that another area, not currently on fire, could ignite in the future.”

Pay attention to these recommendations!

Drawing attention to what needs to be done to prevent fires, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl gave the following recommendations:

• Maintenance of high-voltage power lines should be carried out frequently in hot weather, and dry grasses, or even easily flammable materials like pine saplings or trees beneath them, should be regularly cleared.
• It is important to absolutely prohibit bonfires and lighting fires in forests during hot weather.
• Forests should be diversified by planting trees that are difficult to burn and have a low fire spread rate, segment by segment according to the suitability of the land, among trees that ignite quickly and cause rapid fire spread.
• Deforestation efforts should be carried out at a certain distance from residential areas, with clearings of 100-200 meters where necessary.
• To prevent the spread of fire (when it breaks out), wide, segment-by-segment clearings should be created, and existing clearings should be expanded.

Forests should be thinned

Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl noted that thinning forests is an important precaution, stating, “This reduces the fire load, meaning the amount of flammable material. Although this technique has been applied for years, I believe there has been a weakness in the last 5-10 years regarding forest officers allowing villagers to cut trees for winter fuel as part of thinning, due to the decrease in rural population. The widespread availability and ease of use of natural gas might also be a contributing factor to this.”

Picnic areas should be kept under surveillance

Emphasizing that picnic areas should be kept under constant surveillance by online systems and municipal teams, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “Non-flammable trash containers should be placed, and after these areas are emptied every evening, trash and picnic residues should be regularly cleaned. Regulations including severe fines should be imposed on those who dump or leave trash in forested areas, and inspections should prevent this, slowly fostering a culture of not littering.”

What should one do if caught in flames?

Referring to what should be done if caught in the middle of a forest fire, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “The direction of the flames and wind should be calculated, and one should escape the fire area to open spaces or water edges without being caught in smoke. To avoid being affected by smoke, staying close to the ground and covering the mouth and nose with a cloth, preferably a wet one, will reduce the risk of poisoning. This is because smoke can contain many toxic chemicals, including carbon monoxide. Flames can come from several directions, so one should move as much as possible towards an area without flames, against the direction of the wind. After assessing the situation from a broad perspective, one should circumvent the area to get away from the flames. In very difficult situations, if caught within the flames, one can take shelter by lying down in hollows within streambeds, in grassy and rocky areas. If water is available, one should wet oneself. It should never be forgotten that smoke can be poisonous first and foremost.”

What measures should facilities and hotels take?

Noting that forests and tourist facilities and hotels are intertwined, especially in our Southern regions, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl stated that fire prevention measures can also be taken at these facilities and listed his recommendations as follows:

“These are large-scale facilities. These facilities are also workplaces. They are subject to Occupational Safety Laws. Just as an industrial facility must take fire safety measures, establish emergency teams, and ensure these teams are equipped and trained, these tourist facility workplaces are legally obliged to do the same. Many hotels pump seawater, with motor pumps, into their pools.

However, in fires like these, hydrants could be placed in front of hotels (as the risk is very high), and these types of motor pumps capable of pumping water at 8-10 bar pressure should be trained for fire use and be usable when needed. Of course, in risky areas near forests, they first need to possess these motor pumps for fire safety. It is also very important that nearby areas, under the control of the regional forest directorate, are deforested at certain distances, and the grass in these nearby deforested areas is regularly cleared by these facilities.”

Precautions must also be taken along highways!

Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl emphasized that the sides of highways should also be secured with similar precautions and escape routes kept clear, stating, “These roads also have to be used by intervention teams. The ability of firefighting teams to intervene promptly depends on the safety of these roads. 

During the hot summer months, fire surveillance teams consisting of volunteers or even part-time staff should be formed. UAVs can also be used for this purpose by volunteer teams. Many of our UAV pilots have started to form after receiving these trainings.  Fighting a fire is easy at its beginning. As time passes, the fight becomes much more difficult.”