PESHAWAR - Fires surprisingly erupted in the forests of around several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, claiming four lives and causing damage to the flora and fauna, witnesses and officials said on Saturday.
Separate incidents of inferno eruption took place in Swat, Dir, Buner, Shangla and Haripur districts.
In Chakesar area of Shangla district, three women and a man died in inferno that broke out in Kandai and Ali Jan Kaperai villages. Those who died were identified as Khairun Nisa, Nazrana, Asrana and Khalid.
Tehsil chairman Chakesar Bakht Alam Khan told journalists that the inferno had caused damage to houses and forested area. He demanded compensation to the heirs of the deceased, who belong to the same family.
The fire in Shangla was still raging till the filing of this report. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Chakesar tehsil Jahanzeb Khan said that local residents and administration employees were facing problems in extinguishing the fire due to difficult terrain and shortage of facilities, which is why the inferno was spreading.
Fire also erupted in various parts of Swat district, including Pathanay area of Mingora, Kot area of Charbagh, Segram and Aboha area of Barikot tehsil where hundreds of precious trees on the mountains were burnt down.
Deputy Commissioner Junaid Khan told journalists that local administration was working to douse the fire with the assistance of Rescue 1122 teams and army soldiers.
“We will also probe the causes of this inferno to bring the culprits to justice, if anyone was found involved,” he added.
Separately, an inferno damaged forestland around the Tarbela Dam in Haripur district, police and locals said.
| Four die as Swat, Buner, Lower Dir, Shangla and Haripur districts report separate incidents of infernos | Officials say conspiracy behind incidents could not be ruled out
Officials believe tourists often cause fire when they commit negligence while cooking
The blaze caused damage to both new plants and mature pine trees, Tarbela dam sources said, adding that the assessment of damage caused by forest fire was underway.
The fire erupted in the hilly area of Kukar Choha village of Ghazi tehsil Friday evening and heavy winds also spread the flames to the neighboring Darra Mohat hills above Tarbela dam.
WAPDA’s fire-fighting department said eight fire brigades from Tarbela Dam, tehsil Topi, a Chinese company and TMA Ghazi took part in the rescue operation and after an effort of 20 hours the firefighters managed to put out the blaze.
Inferno eliminates tsunami forest in Buner: In yet another inferno, an area covered by trees during the PTI’s billion tree tsunami campaign got destroyed in Buner district. The district forest department reported that around 460 acres of forest was damaged by the fire during the last several days.
Meanwhile, army soldiers, local residents and administration personnel were also trying to control another fire in the forests of Lower Dir district.
Discussing the forest fires, Upper Dir District Forest Officer Ijazur Rehman told this correspondent that forest fires are often caused by human activity while sometimes such fires also erupt naturally in the months of May and June.
“In July when rains begin, such fires do not happen. But in the hot weather of May and June, a forest fire can erupt naturally too. Also, in tourism season, many tourists commit negligence and when they light a fire for cooking purposes in the forested areas, such infernos erupt from their activity too. Our people and tourists need awareness on this, although we have installed billboards in Upper Dir asking tourists to take care while cooking,” the official added.
He also suggested the removal of inflammable things including grass from forested areas ahead of the tourism season, because such things can also cause fires that later cause huge damage to flora and fauna.
Separate incidents of inferno eruption took place in Swat, Dir, Buner, Shangla and Haripur districts.
In Chakesar area of Shangla district, three women and a man died in inferno that broke out in Kandai and Ali Jan Kaperai villages. Those who died were identified as Khairun Nisa, Nazrana, Asrana and Khalid.
Tehsil chairman Chakesar Bakht Alam Khan told journalists that the inferno had caused damage to houses and forested area. He demanded compensation to the heirs of the deceased, who belong to the same family.
The fire in Shangla was still raging till the filing of this report. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Chakesar tehsil Jahanzeb Khan said that local residents and administration employees were facing problems in extinguishing the fire due to difficult terrain and shortage of facilities, which is why the inferno was spreading.
Fire also erupted in various parts of Swat district, including Pathanay area of Mingora, Kot area of Charbagh, Segram and Aboha area of Barikot tehsil where hundreds of precious trees on the mountains were burnt down.
Deputy Commissioner Junaid Khan told journalists that local administration was working to douse the fire with the assistance of Rescue 1122 teams and army soldiers.
“We will also probe the causes of this inferno to bring the culprits to justice, if anyone was found involved,” he added.
Separately, an inferno damaged forestland around the Tarbela Dam in Haripur district, police and locals said.
| Four die as Swat, Buner, Lower Dir, Shangla and Haripur districts report separate incidents of infernos | Officials say conspiracy behind incidents could not be ruled out
Officials believe tourists often cause fire when they commit negligence while cooking
The blaze caused damage to both new plants and mature pine trees, Tarbela dam sources said, adding that the assessment of damage caused by forest fire was underway.
The fire erupted in the hilly area of Kukar Choha village of Ghazi tehsil Friday evening and heavy winds also spread the flames to the neighboring Darra Mohat hills above Tarbela dam.
WAPDA’s fire-fighting department said eight fire brigades from Tarbela Dam, tehsil Topi, a Chinese company and TMA Ghazi took part in the rescue operation and after an effort of 20 hours the firefighters managed to put out the blaze.
Inferno eliminates tsunami forest in Buner: In yet another inferno, an area covered by trees during the PTI’s billion tree tsunami campaign got destroyed in Buner district. The district forest department reported that around 460 acres of forest was damaged by the fire during the last several days.
Meanwhile, army soldiers, local residents and administration personnel were also trying to control another fire in the forests of Lower Dir district.
Discussing the forest fires, Upper Dir District Forest Officer Ijazur Rehman told this correspondent that forest fires are often caused by human activity while sometimes such fires also erupt naturally in the months of May and June.
“In July when rains begin, such fires do not happen. But in the hot weather of May and June, a forest fire can erupt naturally too. Also, in tourism season, many tourists commit negligence and when they light a fire for cooking purposes in the forested areas, such infernos erupt from their activity too. Our people and tourists need awareness on this, although we have installed billboards in Upper Dir asking tourists to take care while cooking,” the official added.
He also suggested the removal of inflammable things including grass from forested areas ahead of the tourism season, because such things can also cause fires that later cause huge damage to flora and fauna.
