ANKARA
Turkey is the most successful country among Mediterranean countries in fighting forest fires.
Turkish Forestry and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroglu said Friday that although climate conditions increased number of forest fires this year, Turkey was the most successful one among the Mediterranean countries in fighting them.
Forest fires have destroyed nearly 134,000 hectares in Spain, 71,000 hectares in Portugal, 33,000 hectares in Greece, 5,000 hectares in France and 4,177 hectares in Turkey, he said.
Thanks to effective measures that have been taken in fight against fires in Turkey, they have been extinguished before spreading much, Eroglu added.
Bosnia-Herzegovina officially requests Turkey to help extinguish forest fires
Bosnia-Herzegovina's Minister of Security Sadik Ahmetovic on Friday said that they officially requested Turkey to help them extinguish forest fires in various parts of the country.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), Ahmetovic said that the capacities of local fire fighters were not sufficient to deal with forest fires in several Bosnian cities, including Mostar and Srebrenitsa.
"Forest fires continue dramatically. I had a chance to speak with Turkish Ambassador in Sarajevo Ahmet Yildiz on early Friday. We have filed an official request with Turkey to facilitate their assistance in extinguishing our forest fires," Ahmetovic indicated.
"We need a special type of fuel for the fire fighting plane that Turkey would send. We are in the process of searching the fuel," Ahmetovic also said.
On Thursday, Bosnia-Herzegovina's Minister of Defense, Muhamed Ibrahimovic had told the AA that the Bosnian Armed Forces and local organizations did not have sufficient capacity to fight against forest fires.
