AI and towers keep Antalya’s forests safely green

Antalya, known as the ‘Green Homeland’, is the western tourist centre of Turkey and is 57% forested. The city is closely monitored for forest fires using cameras controlled by artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 42 observation towers.

Last year, there were 37 observation towers for wildfires in the city. This year, there are 42. The new towers have been placed in remote locations, far from residential areas.

Workers stationed in towers on high mountaintops began their shift in May and will continue to monitor the forests through the end of October, using binoculars to keep an eye on the area.

Personnel stationed in towers on peaks that are inaccessible by road immediately spot wildfires and report them to the operations center. Fire trucks and aircraft are sent from there to extinguish the flames before they spread.

Zafer Derince, regional director of forestry in Antalya, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Antalya is one of the most privileged provinces in Turkey in terms of forest areas.

According to Derince, the city has 1.18 million hectares of forest, with a forest area per capita of 4.7 square meters (50.59 square feet), which is higher than the national average.

Derince stressed the protection of vast forest areas through 42 observation towers and said: “From May to the end of October, our staff is on guard 24 hours a day. They continuously monitor the forests and control our smart cameras from the forest fire fighting centre, determining our intervention strategy against potential fires.”

Derince stressed the crucial role of early intervention in firefighting, adding: “Observation towers are essential for early intervention. The staff here keep a tireless watch day and night, ensuring the safety of our forests.”

Abdullah Toykara, 42, stationed at the Kayrak Observation Tower in the fallow deer habitat in Düzlerçamı, said his father worked at the same tower for many years.

When Toykara entered the tower at the age of 2, he said, “I grew up in this tower. After my father retired, we left the tower. I took over the job 10 years ago. Since then, I have been taking care of our forests as my father’s legacy, watching over them as if they were my own eyes.”

Toykara, who discovered numerous forest fires early in his service and prevented them from spreading, noted, “I work alone in the tower 24 hours a day. My eyes are constantly focused on the forested areas until I hand over the task to my colleague. I am not only responsible for the trees, but also for the life of the animals here.”