# Turkey expands forest fire detection and response > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-forest-fire-detection-technology > Updated: 2026-07-31T04:30:37.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 3. Turkey continues to broaden its UAV‑based forest‑fire management. Building on the 2023 achievement of ranking first in Europe for drone‑assisted fire monitoring, the fire services in İzmir have been equipped with DJI drones fitted with thermal‑imaging cameras that locate hot spots through dense smoke and stream live video, heat‑maps and GPS data to the national Fire Coordination Center for rapid crew dispatch and evacuation planning. In Adana, the forestry department has further adapted drones to transport fire‑fighting gear and first‑aid kits into inaccessible terrain, lowering risk to personnel. The programme, which originated in 2016 under the defence firm Baykar—whose technical leadership is linked to the presidential family—now complements the AI‑driven 360° thermal‑camera network operating in Manisa. Together, the expanded UAV fleet, AI camera system and logistical drone modifications illustrate a coordinated national strategy to achieve faster, more precise detection and suppression of forest and land fires. ## Timeline ### 2026-07-31: Turkey Deploys Drones to Detect and Combat Forest Fires Turkey is scaling up drone use for forest‑fire detection and response, with DJI units in İzmir and modified drones in Adana, backed by a national push led by Baykar. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-expands-drone-use-to-detect-and-fight-forest-fires ### 2026-07-17: Manisa AI Thermal Cameras Detect Land Fire Early, Trigger Immediate Response Manisa’s AI‑powered thermal camera network spotted a Gölmarmara land fire at over 158 °C, automatically alerting fire crews and enabling rapid response. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/manisa-ai-thermal-cameras-detect-land-fire-early-trigger-immediate-response ### 2026-07-05: Turkey expands UAV use for early forest fire detection Turkey is using a fleet of UAVs with thermal cameras to spot forest fires early, feeding real‑time data to a central command and improving response across several provinces. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-expands-uav-use-for-early-forest-fire-detection --- Cite as: Turkey expands forest fire detection and response. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-forest-fire-detection-technology