• Turkey has banned access to all Istanbul woodlands until the end of July.
• Governor Ali Yerlikaya said activities like grilling and smoking hookahs are prohibited in national parks, local parks, picnic places, and eco-tourism regions.
• Last month, a big wildfire in southwestern Turkey burned down about 4,000 hectares of forest.

Turkey has banned access to all Istanbul forests until the end of July due to fears about forest fires, as per local officials.

Governor Ali Yerlikaya of Istanbul said on Twitter that any activities using fire and fuel, like grilling and smoking hookahs, are prohibited in national parks, local parks, picnic places, and eco-tourism regions.

He said that in a city with a population of over 16 million, human activity in such regions, which are typically congested with Istanbulites during the summer, can easily spark a fire.

Last month, a big wildfire in southwestern Turkey burned down about 4,000 hectares of forest, making people all over the country more worried about forest fires.

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The police caught the man who said he started the fire after having a fight with his family.

As per press sources, the regions of Izmir and Canakkale in Turkey’s west also saw wildfires throughout the last week.

Last summer, Turkey was struck by one of the deadliest forest fires in its history, driven by strong winds, high temperatures, and low humidity, which ravaged 53 provinces and claimed the lives of at least eight people and a large number of animals.

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