Forest fires in the Ottoman Empire (1850-1918)

Data on forest fires between 1850 and 1918 were examined in order to determine the place of forests in the eyes of the Ottoman Empire. For this purpose, the study was discussed based on documents obtained from the Ottoman archive. The subject examined is divided into four main topics: the relationship of the Ottoman Empire with forests, the investigation of the causes of forest fires, the investigation of the process of extinguishing forest fires and the investigation of the procedures to prevent forest fires and the outcome of forest fires. The first part is devoted to the study of the relationship between the Ottoman Empire and the forest. In this direction, the property of the forests was examined, the changes in forestry with the Tanzimat Period were discussed and the change of forestry-related supervisions and the change of forestry officer were written. In the second part, fires that are caused by opening space in woodland, producing coal and bandits, as well as fires caused by carelessness and finally as natural disasters are examined. The third part covers the process of extinguishing forest fires. The effects and duties of forest officers, the army and the public in their efforts to extinguish forest fires have been examined. The third part is to get the details of these three segments, which have acted together in many of the processes of extinguishing forest fires; With the help of the army, the extinguishing of forest fires and the role of forest officers and workers in extinguishing fires are divided into three different heads. In the fourth part, the data on forest fires and the developments that followed were discussed and the measures taken against forest fires were examined. In this section, according to the data examined, issues such as where forest fires occur and the extent of the areas where they are effective, developments occurring in the land after forest fire and forest breeding studies are discussed. In addition, various practices and legal regulations for the protection of forests are discussed in the fourth chapter.