Muğla reports 3,869 open-area fires since 2024

Data from the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department reveals that 3,869 open-area fires occurred in Muğla during the 2024–2026 period. Human activity was the primary driver, accounting for 2,682 of these incidents. This means approximately 7 out of every 10 fires in the region were caused by human factors.

Specific causes identified include improperly discarded cigarette butts, ashes, embers, uncontrolled cleaning fires, and stubble burning. Electrical issues were responsible for 766 fires (roughly 20%), while the cause of 421 fires could not be determined.

Since the beginning of 2026, 614 fires have been recorded, with 392 attributed to human causes and 142 to electrical issues. Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras has urged residents and tourists to exercise extreme caution, particularly during summer months when rising temperatures and low humidity significantly increase the risk of forest fires.