Forest Fires Wipe Out 550 Hectares State Steps Up Prevention Efforts This Summer

National Preventive Strategy Launched to Protect Forests and Agricultural Crops from Fires

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries has announced the launch of a national preventive strategy to protect forests and agricultural crops from the risk of fires, ahead of the summer season. The strategy aims to prevent fires from occurring in the first place, rather than just responding to them after they have started.

Key Measures

The strategy includes several key measures, including:

Clearing firebreaks: The ministry will focus on clearing firebreaks in forests to prevent fires from spreading.
Rehabilitating agricultural roads: The ministry will rehabilitate agricultural roads to ensure that they are clear of obstacles and can be easily accessed by fire trucks and emergency response teams in case of an emergency.
Maintaining forest centers: The ministry will maintain forest centers to ensure that fires can be detected early and quickly responded to.
Maintaining fire trucks: The ministry will also maintain the fleet of fire trucks to ensure that they are in good working condition.
Inspecting agricultural machinery: The ministry will inspect agricultural machinery to ensure that it is in good working condition and that it is equipped with fire extinguishers to prevent fires from starting.

Public Awareness Campaign

In addition to these measures, a public awareness campaign has been launched to educate farmers, residents of areas near forests, large-scale agricultural landowners, tourists, and hikers about the importance of being vigilant during the summer months.

Coordination with Regional Authorities

The implementation of this strategy relies on coordination between regional authorities and the Civil Protection Services, which will enable a faster response to fires and better control of the situation.

Background

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, fires have ravaged 550 hectares of land, including 297 hectares of forest and semi-forest areas, as of July 10, 2025.