Turkish Journal of Forestry (Nov 2015)
Fire problem, distribution of fires and factors effecting fires in Muğla-Fethiye forests
Abstract
This study was conducted in order to an overall evaluation, occurred between 1950-2010 years in the forests of Fethiye Directorate of Forest Enterprise and the range of the fires, and ecological factors which affecting the fires between 2000-2010. 1208 forest fires occurred in the forests of Fethiye Directorate of Forest Enterprise within a period of 61 years and 8368,6 ha area burned. Most fires occurred in Eşen Forest District (36%), the least Göcek Forest District (9%). The field burning the most was Eşen Forest District (29%) and the least being Güneydağ Forest District (9%). When the monthly range of the fires is studied, fire season is seen as the five months June–October. %94 of the fires was caused by humans. The rate of the fires which broke out of thunder is %6. When the number of the fires and burning fields are examined in terms of their habitat, Fethiye central district comes first with 233 fires, Eşen being the second with 166 fires and Üzümlü being the third with 152. The least number of fires occurred in the forests of Gökben, Yakabağ, Karaköy, and Ortaköy. The order in terms of burning fields are Eşen (1354,6 ha), Üzümlü (1276,1 ha), Minare (1245,0 ha), and the central distinct of Fethiye (1216,7 ha). The least burning field is Kayaköyü (0,6 ha). When the places of fires in Forest District forests (2000–2010 periods) are examined, it is seen that fires were intense at some parts, or there were not any in some forests. As the influential factors, place of settlement and population range, tourism, road locations, land forms and the structure of forests are shown to be effective. In terms of the number of forests, four regions were first degree delicate and three regions were second degree delicate. The main reason of these fields and of fires: Göcek, İnlice, Yanıklar, Kargı, Çiftlik (population density, the fields of tourism and recreation, Fethiye – Dalaman main road location), Söğütlüdere, Söğütlü, Üzümlü (shephard fire, hostility among shephards), Çukurincir, Gölbent, Eşen, Demirler, Minare, Arifler, Yakabağ, Çaltıözü, Alaçat, Çaykenarı (Agricultural activities, time to burn stubble, raising and selling olives), Karadere, Kumluova, Karaköy, Dodurga (Population density and its place of settlement, picnic).
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